


Not Broken

by ANOwolfy_24



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Blood and Torture, Blood and Violence, Dark Magic, Desert, Fantasy, Fantasy Religion, Freedom Fighters, Horror, Insanity, Magic-Users, Mystical Creatures, Old Gods, Other, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rebellion, Slave Culture, Slavery, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 62,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26702839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANOwolfy_24/pseuds/ANOwolfy_24
Summary: Welcome to the world of Hysteria a world that runs on magic and greed, a world of tortured slave labor and pain, but also a world of hope.Follow Grim as he grows from a boy to a man and learns secrets of his own past that may shake the very foundations of the world as a whole.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story on here, please be kind. I've been working on stories for years, but I'm just now getting the courage to actually post them. I hope ya'll will enjoy.

Hysteria, a desert land, full of chaos and ruin, of famine and pain, and a land of wondrous magic. Hysteria is a land of slavery, and human oppression, but it is also a place of unexpected kindness, and glorious freedom. It was once a lush land ruled by White Reapers and their gods, but now it is a desert land ruled by the greed fueled Aristocrats, and those born into a high social class.  
There are rules in this land, rules made by Aristocrats to keep only themselves in power. The one rule you need to know best, only Aristocrats are allowed to own slaves. Anyone found to have disobeyed this rule will be subject to slavery of the worst kind themselves.  
A few Noblemen have tried to gain status, and power by owning slaves in the past, but it never lasts long. Most manage to kill themselves before they are subjected to the cruelty, and humiliation that being turned into a slave means, but for those who aren't so lucky… well they turn out like the rest of us, treated no better than dogs.  
There is another thing to know about being a slave here, it's not all torture and pain, humiliation and agony. Sometimes… sometimes there is a little ray of hope for those of us stuck in this unforgiven system. That hope is what we call the Bonded. Bonded are makeshift groups that have formed families among themselves. There are many pros and cons to this, but to have someone to look out for you, to have someone care for you, to have someone who will always be there for you… that makes it worth it. On the down side one small slip up, and the entire group of bonded could be in danger, anything from death of the others to self-inflicted torture are on the table. There is one thing a slave in a group of bonded should never attempt… committing suicide. This will result in the entire group of bonded being tortured for months, sometimes even years, most don't survive, and those that do are barely there themselves afterwards. Like a living body without a soul inside.  
The last thing a slave must know is this… Escape its impossible, and the penalty for trying is far worse than any physical death could ever be. Isolation is the worst punishment thinkable for anyone with Hysterian blood. Isolation means you are caged away from your bonded, from light, and worse of all from the very magic that Hysteria runs on. Many slaves die from being alone for so long, but still people try to escape, very few succeed, and those who do have never been seen again. Whether this means that they have died in the desert, or managed to gain their much strived for freedom, no one knows.  
Me, well I think they made it. I think they're still alive, and that they are trying to find a way to free all of the slaves from the dark alchemy of the Aristocrats. I think they are trying to find a way to free Hysteria itself from their cruel tyranny.


	2. Chapter 1

My earliest memory is of a pair of old withered hands holding my small ones, and of a raspy voice speaking to a shrill one.  
"He's far too young to be on his own Hera, the child needs family… bonded. The great ones know that his father won't be looking out for him, just look at what he did to the boy's poor mother."  
"That boy's poor mother was a White Reaper Baba. Evil incarnate, a bringer of death."  
"That is nothing but superstition, and old wives tales, you should know better than to believe in any of those."  
"You can't tell me that woman didn't bring misfortune to everyone she laid her demon eyes on. Just look at what happened to June and Silon or what about Yula and her lover."  
"Yula was never supposed to have a lover, you know that, and June and Silon knew what was coming to them when they tried to run. All those things were going to happen anyway, it was no fault of hers just like it will be no fault of her child's."  
"Well, I for one will not be adding the boy to my bonded, let him starve like his exile of a mother for all I care. And when death comes for you Baba, don't say I didn't warn you."  
A door slams not far away, but it matters little to the warm hands holding mine.  
My memories after that are a little fuzzy, but I remember this, those warm hands slowly turned cold, until one day they were like ice, and Baba never moved again. Now-a-days I am simply an outcast, both among the Aristocrats like my father who only see me as a slave, and among the slaves that look at me with only disgust, fear, and hatred.  
I'm either ignored, and told to be silent, or treated with cruelty and disdain. My own father tells me to call him Master, and only brings up my mother when he wishes to be cruel. I've seen a picture of her once, in his great hall where he keeps all of his most beautiful processions. She was unearthly beautiful, with tan skin that seemed to glow gold, and white hair that was as bright as Star light. Her pale lavender eyes looked down on my own dark violet ones with cold hatred. That is my only memory of the woman who birthed me, a cold painting with an even colder woman within its frame.  
Maybe it is because I share so many of her features that the man I am made to call Master doesn't consider me his own, doesn't even consider me human. Or maybe it is because I am half White Reaper that he treats me as if I'm a dog to perform tricks for his amusement. Maybe it is because I bring death that now even the other slaves will call me by only one name.  
"Exiled." A voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see Hera standing far too close for comfort. Hera was recently given the title Head Housekeeper and has been using the position to get me in trouble ever since. I don't think she'll ever forget about Baba's sudden passing six years ago, or quit blaming me for it.  
"What do you think you're doing, dazing off into the heavens like that, don't you have work to be doing, I ought to tell Master that you are slacking off again, you death bringing monster. I don't know why the man didn't just drown you at birth, and save all of us the trouble."  
Her rant goes on, but I'm used to it by now, she's hardly the only one who takes objection to my presence. But suddenly her tone changes, it goes from grating to sweet, and the hairs on my neck stand on end as she smiles at something behind me.  
"Hello Master, how are you today?" she asks with a low curtsey, that puts her nearly on the floor. I whip around and come face to chest with the cruelest man I know. I don't even get the chance to bow before a large hand smacks me across the face, and sends me flying to the floor.  
"Was this little nuisance causing trouble again?" he asks, as I scramble to my knees, I know better than to stand in this man's presence.  
"When isn't he, dear Master, in fact I just caught him daydreaming instead of doing his chores."  
"Oh… was he now? Well, we certainly can't have that now can we? Get up boy, and come with me, it looks like your last punishment didn't teach you a lesson, so I guess we'll try something new this time." His voice is filled with dark amusement as I rise to my feet, once his back is turned I can hear Hera hiss, "Maybe this time they'll actually manage to get rid of you."  
I want to run, I want to hide, I want to be anywhere but here, I want to go anywhere but to that dark room. But I can't, the collar around my neck is burning with dark energy that makes obedience seep into my pores. I feel sick. There is no way to fight this, no way to hide from it, nothing that I can do to stop what is coming. So I'm forced to follow this man, this monster, as we go down a long candle lite hallway, one decorated with pictures of his prestigious family. The whole path is covered with old heirlooms and priceless treasures. But at the end of this beautifully decorated hallway, is a small wooden door with a barred window as it's only distinct feature.  
Master places a hand on the door, and purple runes appear before blood curdling screams can be heard from inside. The door swings open, and the other side is littered with scratches easily identified as marks from the overgrown fingernails of slaves that tried to escape their torment. I gag at the stench of burned and rotting flesh as it reaches my nostrils, but the worst of it is the overwhelming iron smell of blood. Blood that is being spilled from every slave here, blood that is used to fuel dark alchemy rituals, blood that covers the floor more and more the further down you go, until you can stand a foot deep in it.  
"Ogath, come here!" Master yells over the screams, and a fat guard suddenly appears nearby.  
"Master, it's nice to see you again. What can this humble guard do for you this evening?"  
"It's morning you fool. This thing needs to learn a lesson. And I want you to make sure it sticks this time. I don't care what you do to him, just make sure it's quick. I don't need him killing all the meat sacks in here before their usefulness has run out."  
"Of course, sir. Seems to me like a day of lashings will serve him well."  
"I said quick you idiot, do you even have any brains in that fat head of yours. The little menus still has work to do, and I aim to see it fulfilled. Make it a hundred lashes, and make sure he is conscious for them." With that Master turned and left, passing me by without so much as a sideways glance.  
Ogath laughed as I tried to run away from him, without the Masters magic holding me in place I could do as I wished, and I wished to get away from this man. But it was not to be, the door would not open and my nails left marks on the wood, they blended in with the many before them, and the many that would come after. Large fingers grabbed my hair in a harsh yank, and suddenly I was forced limp as green lines appeared above my skin.  
"None of that now little exile, we need to have this done quickly after all. Hmm, it's a shame your skin is poison, I'd love to do more than just a little whipping on you." The hunger in his voice made me shudder, and for once I was glad that everyone thought touching me meant death. It wasn't true, but, oh, how I wish it was, then I could kill who I wanted… and keep safe those I didn't wish to die.  
Iron shackles clamped around my wrists as I was dropped to the blood soaked ground, before a click was heard, and I was then yanked back into the air. Ogath called another over and ordered them to grab a nine-tailed whip with metal shards. This man never did any dirty work himself.  
"Now let's see you cry." he laughed, leaning back against the wall.  
The first strike ripped through my shirt and pants, the next through my flesh ripping out chunks. I bit back my screams and tears, refusing to give the man any satisfaction.  
I desperately cast my mind about, for something to focus on and then felt the telltale tug of Hysteria's magic. Calmness overtook me as I followed the light pull in my mind. Hysteria's magic was far gentler, and much sweeter than the false magic the Aristocrats use. Hysteria's magic can be pulled from the very air itself, but the Aristocrats magic can only be used with runes, and crystals. It's a form of alchemy that is as twisted, and dark as the high born themselves. Their magic is the kind of magic that makes the planet cry out in agony, it is the kind that uses markings to claim possession and force obedience. The stories say that the Aristocrats, magic is a horrible copy of the magic once found in White Reapers during the war. White Reaper magic is said be twice as powerful, and twice as fast than anything the Aristocrats could produce. It is said that all the animals could use magic, but only a mighty few have been seen doing so. It is said---

I hadn't realized I'd passed out until I came to in pain, to the screams and suffering of those around me, and to the taste of blood lingering in my mouth. A sudden loud scream coming from across the room caused me to look up. What I saw made me sick.  
A woman in front of me was being held face down, and being beaten, one man striking her with a whip, another with his fist, but the third held her waist, there was no illusion as to what he was doing back there. I turned my face back to the blood filled floor below me, but that didn't stop her ear piercing screams from reaching my ears, or my stomach from rolling. It felt like her torture went on forever, and I wondered why she didn't just die. A cruel thought maybe, but from my point of view it seemed that if she were dead she would no longer be suffering, that she could finally be at some kind of peace. After all, what would anyone have to live for in this hell?  
I looked up when her cries finally softened, and saw her reaching out a hand in the opposite direction, towards a body suspended by hooks. It was hard to tell anything about the mass except that it was male, and even that was difficult with all the blood. It suddenly clicked for me that she might just have something, or even someone to live for. It was hard for me to understand that since I have no one, not since Baba, but day after day I'm kept alive. I couldn't force my eyes away from the gruesome torture scene. Her hand remained outstretched even as her screams tapered off and her body stopped moving. Neither of them were dead, their slow breathing was the only indicator that they were alive, but that didn't mean they would stay that way for long…  
Suspended above the filth and grime, watching the blood of the other slaves as it slowly drained to the floor I began to wonder about their story. Were they lovers that tried to hide their relationship? Was she a sex slave and he a farm hand? Or even worse… was she pregnant with his child? For a woman to be pregnant in this place is the worst fate a woman could suffer here. For a woman to be pregnant with a child from anyone but an Aristocrat means that she becomes a breeder and spends the rest of her days on her back, fat with child, until she can bare no more, and finally lives out her usefulness.  
My own mother suffered even through she carried an Aristocratic child, I found out about the psychological torture she was put through, and the suffering she endured for the nine months I lay in her womb. But, she was one of the lucky ones, she faced the guillotine after my birth. She was spared from the horrors she would have faced if Master would have played the part of my father. She lays now in death's sweet embrace.  
I stared at the woman's stomach, looking to see if there were any signs of life that might tell me if the same fate would befall her as well. All I could see was her bloodied flesh that had been ripped open by the nine tails. Her skin was covered in blood, sweat, and other bodily fluids, but her face… her face they had left alone, and as the torch light flickered I could see that she was very beautiful. Her cheek bones were high, and slanted at just the right angle to give her face a graceful arch. Her once tan flesh was now stained red, but it was still flawless and without scars. They would leave her that way. A beautiful face that the world would never see again-

A sudden yank to my hair brought me back from my thoughts by a jolt of pain in my skull. Then I was face to face with Ogath as his coal black eyes stared into my own.  
"Finally awake are you. Well good, now we can finish. Only twenty to go, and you're gonna count them this time. BEGIN!" he ordered the guard and myself.  
"One… two… three… four… five… six… s-seven… e-eight… nine… ten." I managed to gasp out as the whip tore through more of my flesh.  
"Louder."  
"E-ELEVEN… TWELVE… th-THIRTEEN… FOURTEEN… fi-fi-FIFTEEN!" I could hear my voice beginning to waver as the numbers grew higher, "SIXTEEN… SEVENTEEN… ei-EIGHTEEN… NINETEEN… TWENTY!" I screamed as loud as I could.  
"You sound so good with that sweet voice, pity I don't get to hear more of it right now." Ogath taunted, running the handle of the whip up my ribs before returning it to the guard behind him. Once my arms were let loose I fell to the ground, landing in my own blood with a splash that covered me with splatter.  
"Now get up. I said UP!" Ogath ordered. I slowly pushed myself up to my elbows and tried to keep my bodies shaking to a minimum. From there I managed to get to my knees and then to my feet without passing out, but it was short lived. One step and I crashed back down, hitting hard enough to crack my shin. I held in the scream, but only barely. After Ogaths taunts I had no desire for the fat oaf to hear me more than necessary.  
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Ogath yelled in disgust. Then a hand was grabbing my face… a cold hand was grabbing my face, and I was once more looking into the eyes of a dead man. Laughter built up in my throat, for years the only time I'd felt cold was from the other slaves, the indicator that they were not long for this world. This was the first time that the cold belonged to someone who I couldn't wait to see dead. I heard myself giggle as Ogath dragged me by the throat toward the door. He dropped me just before the scared, wooden surface.  
"Something funny down there?" he asked, his hand encased in green ruins as the door swung open.  
"Y-you're cold." I stuttered out, and had the pleasure of watching as his eyes widened right before a knife slid through the back of his throat. Behind him stood a woman, wild brown hair, and wild brown eyes where the only features I could make out as she ran past me out the open door.  
I don't know how long I laid there, watching as the life drained from his eyes just as the last of his blood drained from his body, but it was long enough to hear the sirens sound for a run away. I hope she makes it to freedom.  
With nothing else to do I managed to drag myself to my feet, and then, leaning heavily on the wall I started walking. I had a fleeting thought of trying to join her on the run, but as I am now I'd never make it. So instead I decided to head to the one place no one would bother me right away. My room.  
I knew I was leaving a blood trail in my wake, but at this point I just wanted to be away from that dark room, and Ogaths corpse. As the small door of the broom closet I had claimed came into view I let out a breath of relief, this had been the longest walk of my life. I entered, and looked around the windowless room before collapsing on the bed face first. "Time flies when you're being tortured." then I passed out and fell into a fitful sleep filled with nightmares… 

There were people all around… staring down at me… frowning angry faces that showed only hatred. I can see their mouths moving, but no words reached my ears. Then the face of the beaten woman suddenly appeared out of the darkness, the three guards standing above her, one holds up a rusted axe, and sends her head rolling across the floor. Another guard steps forward and pulls a knife from his pocket, and begins to peel the skin off her face. I looked away, but only saw a dismembered body suspended by hooks not far from the ground. 

A pounding on my door woke me with a start. I flew off the mate that I called my bed, and nearly face planted into the floor. The second I opened the door, and Hera is yelling at me, "YOU STUPID EXILE DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE! HE'S KILLING US! GET UP! I'M TAKING YOU TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US BECAUSE OF YOU!"  
"Wha-"  
"SHUT UP! I DON'T CARE WHAT EXCUSES YOU HAVE! A GUARD IS DEAD, A SLAVE ESCAPED, AND MASTER IS ON A WAR PATH! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! I should have drowned you nine years ago when you were born you filthy pest, but I will get rid of you now, one way or another."  
It takes a minute to figure out that she's blaming me for Ogath's death, and the brown haired woman that escaped. That means she got out, she actually managed to get away. Now she just had to make it past the desert, and the creatures that roam there. I wished her luck. Suddenly claw like nails grabbed my bloodied hair, and began dragging me down the hall. By this point I knew better than to resist.  
Eventually we made it to the courtyard, it looked like a massacre. Bodies littered the ground and Master stormed about in a rage grabbing any slave he could get his hands on, and throwing them to the nearest guard. There was nothing pretty about what the guards did with them after that.  
"MASTER!" Hera called as she made her way through the chaos toward him. As we got closer her arm skimmed my bloodied back making me grimace in pain.  
Eventually she gained his attention and curtsied low enough she was practically sitting on the ground, her harsh grip on my hair forced me even lower than her.  
"MASTER, PLEASE SPARE YOUR LOYAL SERVANTS! I HAVE BROUGHT YOU THE TRAITOR!" she yelled over the screams of the others.  
"WHAT!" The fury in his voice sent chills down my spine, I may not make it through this day alive.  
"Please, Master, hear me out. Earlier this day you took the exile to be punished, but he never returned to his duties, he must have had something to do with Ogath's death, if not than the runners escape." Hera spoke quickly, and did not look into Master's eyes. She was selling me out as an accomplice to the runner. Not that I expected better of her but she only had the loosest of connections to tie me to this afternoon's happenings. From my place at her side I could see Master's shadow over us.  
"Well mongrel, what do you have to say for yourself?" he asked, and I knew from the tone of his voice that it didn't matter what I said there would be no good ending for me, so I said the only thing I could.  
"He was cold."  
Master's eyes widened and Hera's hands let me go instantly. The shock didn't last long, and then Master's hand was on my face, warm and sweaty, with specks of blood that I could see smearing across his skin.  
"You-" he began, and I could feel the dark alchemy seep into my skin, the purple runes sliding over my skin, creating a strangle-hold on my own small amount of magic. It felt like my blood was boiling in my veins the twisted darkness of his own greed trying to devour my Hysterian given life. In a panic I said three words that would change the course of my life forevermore.  
"You're so cold."  
Instantly the darkness left me, I could breathe again, my blood cooled again, and I felt the calm spot within me settle. When I finally got my bearings again I looked up to see my Masters face full of fear.


	3. Chapter 2

After the words in the courtyard I was escorted to a small cage by, twitchy, guards carrying long polls. It wasn't until two days later that the cage was placed onto the back of a decorative carriage. The kind of carriage Master only used when he was going to a slave bazaar. My stomach fell as I realized I was the only one on the back, I was the only one being sold, the only one he wanted to get rid of. There would be no familiar faces to comfort me in the cruel conditions I would find myself in.  
We traveled all day under the bright light, and intense heat of Hysteria's three suns. I was given little water, and even littler food. The only thing that was keeping my skin from blistering red like that of the soldiers was the tan coloring I inherited from my mother. I smelled the bazaar before I saw it, and it was only when we finally rode past the gate that I realized he took me to Sun Bazaar. According to the slaves my Master had purchased from this bazaar before, this was the worst bazaar of them all. It was full of unwashed bodies, and cramped cages, and not enough food to go around. But the one thing they all said was the worst… was the slave trader Greg Veilfox.  
Once past the soldiers at the entrance I began to see what the slaves had been talking about. Cages upon cages lined the walls, some stacked on top of others in uneasy towers that looked like a stiff wind would knock them over. The cages were too small for one person to be comfortable in, much less the three to five people they had shoved into them.  
When the carriage came to a stop, Master got out holding a handkerchief over his nose, and mouth. Obviously the smell offended his delicate nose. An old man made his way out to meet us, he leaned over his cane and his long gray beard nearly touched the ground as he shuffled along the sand. As he got closer I noticed that the old man was missing his nose.  
"Master Baron, what a pleasant surprise. How can the Sun Bazaar serve you today?"  
"I need to get rid of this." Master said, gesturing towards me and my cage.  
"Hmm well, let's see… unusual coloring that's for sure… hmm what color is his hair under all that blood anyway?"  
"White."  
"WHITE!? As in Star light white? As in-"  
"As in a White Reaper. Yes. Now how much can I get for him."  
"Ah, well, you do know that White Reapers are supposed to cause death, the old legend says that simply touching them could cause one to drop dead."  
Master stiffened at the words, but only sneered at the old man in response. "I didn't take you as the superstitious type Veilfox, but if you're not willing to take him off my hands, perhaps Kalicon at Moon Bazaar will take him instead."  
"Ah, now let's not be so hasty I was simply remarking about what people would think, that is all, certainly not that I believe in such things mind you."  
"Humph… I'll take sixty tokens for him."  
"Now don't be ridiculous Master Baron, I'll hardly be able to sell him for that much, and I do need to make some profit after all. I'll give you thirty for him."  
"Fifty."  
"Thirty-five."  
"Forty, but that is as low as I'll go."  
"Forty it is."  
I watched them shake on it as the guards grabbed the cage off the carriage, and placed it on the burning hot sandy ground. I felt numb. I was his son, I was his flesh and blood, sure he never acted like I was so I don't know why I thought it would be any different now but… wasn't blood supposed to mean something?  
"Why?" I finally asked, before he entered his carriage. He turned to me, but there was no warmth in his eyes, there never had been, there was only hatred, and now there was fear.  
"What?"  
"Why? I'm your son aren't I? I thought that meant something to the Aristocrats."  
"Ha, my son? You are not even considered human to me, not even the slaves consider you one of their own. The Head Housekeeper practically threw you at my feet to save the others. You're a mongrel… an eyesore, a thing like you will never be my son!" and with that Charles Baron entered his carriage never to be seen by me again. Or at least that was what I'd thought.  
Once the gates closed behind the departed, Veilfox approached my cage, only… he was no longer leaning on his cane. In fact he was now carrying it under his arms, and walking toward me at a steady gait that was nothing like his sandy shuffle from before.  
"Someone get that thing out of the cage, we can use it for transport." he yelled roughly, his voice coming out far stronger than before.  
"Where do you want him boss?"  
"Put him in the back, in one of the large ones. We'll see if anyone takes a liking to him in a few days at the auction."  
The cage door was open, and large hands reached for me, in my panic I bit down on the one near my face. A loud scream came from the guard as blood rushed into my mouth.  
"Son of a witches cat! The darn thing bit me!"  
"Haha, that's why we use the stun guns Malphes, most of the merchandise don't like being handled. You gotta be rough with 'em to get anywhere." Another guard said, and suddenly a metal pole was placed against my skin. The pain that came from the tip radiated through me, and choked the scream that had become stuck in my throat.  
"There, ya see, now we can drag him anywhere we want."  
"I ain't touching him, bloody exile."  
I hear a huff and a shuffle and then there are fingers grabbing my hair again, and dragging me out of my lonely cage, and across the hot desert sand. I can feel my skin blistering, and sand scraping against the unhealed wounds on my back. The trip to the larger cages takes a little time, and by the time we get there my fingers are once again able to move. I can see the crowded cages all around, most with only a small space for people in them to call their own. In one cage I can see children crammed together with no adults among them, most have dried tear tracks on their faces. A harsh tug on my hair sends me flying into the bars of my new cage… One that looks like it's already full. I still can't move fully by the time I'm thrown inside so I'm forced to lay on the hard metal as the other slaves move to inspect me.  
"We're already full in here, why didn't they add him to the cage with the other kids."  
"Shhh, Kilo, the poor thing's still recovering from the paralyzer."  
"The poor thing is a White Reaper, Nano."  
"WHAT?! Why did they stick that thing in here with us."  
"Make it go away, mom."  
"Hush, honey, just stay over here, and keep away from that thing."  
"I heard White Reapers were extinct."  
"Apparently not, just look at the freak. White hair like that is just unnatural."  
"You think it's true that they can kill with just a touch?"  
"Monsters all of them."  
The voices continued to talk above me, but no one touched me, in fact they all took great pains to stay away from me. I wanted to cry, to scream. I'm not a monster, I'm a human. I bleed red just like they do, I cry in pain just like they do. I'm a slave just like them. I don't understand why they think I'm so different… why they think I'm a monster. Because I'm not… right?


	4. Chapter 3

The night comes quickly, and I thank Deathta for his cool glow as I curl up in the far corner of the cage. I try to keep my mind off the horror of what might await me from this point. Either I'll be unsellable, or my new master will be like the old one was. Neither is something I'm looking forward to. I take one last look at the heavens and close my eyes, praying to every god I can name that one of them will have mercy on me.  
A soft giggle woke me from my sleep, the sound so soft, and so unexpected in such a place. I immediately started looking for its source. I look to my right following the sound as it gets a little louder, but all I can see is a blurred shape. Almost like looking at a figure from underwater.  
"Hello?" I call to it softly, as it nears the bars of my cage.  
"Hi, who are you?" The figure sways, and the form clears a little to reveal the shape of a young girl.  
"People call me exile or mongrel, but I don't carry a name."  
"Well, that's not very nice, my name is Secret."  
"It's nice to meet you, what are you doing here?"  
"I'm searching for someone."  
"Who?"  
"I don't know yet, but when I find them I will."  
"How?"  
"I don't know, Mama just says I will."  
"You have a mama?"  
"Yeah, don't you?"  
"Not anymore, she was killed at the guillotine after I was born."  
"Oh… I'm sorry. Why didn't she give you a name before she was killed? Mama says that the first gift a parent gives their child is the gift of a name."  
"Then I guess… I've never gotten a gift then."  
"Never?"  
"Never."  
"Not even old clothes? Or a writing quill?"  
"Does whippings count?"  
"Umm… no, that's not a gift."  
"They said it was."  
"They were wrong."  
"Oh."  
We lapsed into silence as her features became clearer, and then fuzzy again. I wondered if she were a ghost, or maybe a hallucination.  
"What if I gave you a gift?"  
"What would you give me?"  
"How about a name?"  
"... I think I'd like that."  
"Great! Hmm… how about Ray? Like a ray of sunshine?"  
"I don't think I'm very sunny, if anything I'm rather grim."  
"Oh, what about that then?"  
"Huh?"  
"What about we call you Grim?"  
"Oh… I like it."  
"Great, now you can introduce yourself."  
"Ah, umm… ok. Hello my name is Grim."  
"It's nice to meet you Grim, I hope we can be very good friends."  
"Friends?" No one wanted to be my friend, no one wanted anything to do with me.  
"Yeah friends. Is that ok?"  
"YES!" I said, far louder than I meant too, and then held my hand over my mouth as I looked around to make sure I hadn't woken anyone. There were a few rumbles from those in my cage but it didn't seem too bad. That is until I saw a pair of black eyes staring at me. It was the man from earlier, one of those who called me a monster. The moon reflected off his dark irises as they traveled between me and Secrets half visible form.  
"You little demon, what did you summon here." he demanded, just as I heard Secret's voice saying, "I'm so glad, oh, it's time for me to go. I'll see you soon Grim." I turned just in time to see her waving form ripple from existence.  
"NO COME BACK!" I called out to her. I thought we were friends, how could she leave me like this?  
"I knew it! You were trying something!" The man yelled, waking the others in, and around our cage as he came stomping toward me in our small space. He hovered over my small form, and raised his fist, "What did you summon?! You think you can kill us is that it? You think you got some kinda power over us, or something?"  
"N-no, I jus-"  
"Ya lying little brat, I saw the specter you were summoning. Now what were ya trying to do?"  
"I-" my weak reply was cut off as the ground shook, and the sand shifted. A loud commotion came from the dunes as soldiers and guards raced about, yelling orders and fulfilling tasks. Over the walls I could see sand flying, and a giant dark shadow raising into the night.  
"W-what is that thing?" I heard one of the others ask.  
"A Giant Desert Worm." another answered over the screams.  
The presence of the desert's greatest predator lasted only a few minutes, but panic and terror held with us all for the entire night.  
The morning brought many sleepy faces and many low comforting words, but no one dared to come near me, no one even dared to look at me, and when food was given out I was thrown a small roll of moldy bread. If I had known it would be my only food that day I would have eaten it slower. And so the days wore on, long hot days as the three suns beat down on our cages, and lonely nights that I spent looking around for the blurred figure of a little girl.  
Until auction day came. Then we were dragged from the cages two and three at a time, scrubbed clean within an inch of our lives, and shackled in long lines as we trailed slowly but surely toward the auction platform. The suns were high in the sky when I was finally dragged onto the platform.  
"And finally, ladies and gentlemen, today we have a rare treat. A half-blood White Reaper. We'll start the bidding at one hundred tokens."  
"Are you crazy Veilfox? That thing is worth twenty at the most." a voice yelled from the crowd, and more only joined it.  
"Who'd buy a thing like that? They only bring death."  
"Are you trying to curse us? Put that thing away, and bring out something worth our while."  
I couldn't help hunching my shoulders, and staring down at the wooden floor of the platform. I wasn't human to these people, I was a thing. Something not even worth their time to look at. I had no idea what would happen to me if Veilfox couldn't make his profit back, but I knew it wouldn't be good. At all.  
Suddenly a smooth voice cut through the clamor, "I'll take him."  
"Lady Amethyst?" shock fell onto the crowd, and onto me as well. Someone wanted me? Me? The half-blood White Reaper? The monster, the mongrel, the exile. It felt too good to be true.  
"You said one hundred tokens, right?" she asked, and I looked upon my savior as she walked through the crowd. Long black hair swaying gently behind her, her flawless pale skin was protected from the desert heat by a servant behind her holding a black parasol above her head. A deep rich red gown lined with black fur draped around her curvy frame, and her gold jewelry glittered in the sun's rays. She looked beautiful, like a goddess descending from the heavens to bless us mortals with her presence.  
"Ah, are you sure my Lady? What could you possibly want with a half-blood mongrel like that?" a man asks, but Lady Amethyst pays him no mind, and passes her tokens to Veilfox, before turning her alluring gaze to me.  
"Hello dear one, I'm your new Mistress. Now if you promise to be a good boy, and walk with me obediently I'll take those nasty chains off of you, alright?" her deep black eyes boring into my own, and all I could do was nod. This woman wanted me, I'd do whatever she asked of me.  
"Wonderful, let's get going then." with that my chains were realised, and Lady Amethyst reached out and gently grabbed my callused hand in her smooth one. She pulled me slowly beside her as we walked from the auction platform toward the parked carriages.  
"Tell me your name, little one." she said, and I almost told her I didn't have one before remembering the gift Secret gave me all those nights ago.  
"I'm Grim, my Lady." I followed her to a large carriage with a full cage of slaves already on the back. When I went toward it Lady Amethyst simply tugged me back close to her.  
"I'm afraid the cage is full little one, you will have to ride up front with me."  
"Umm… ok."  
"Don't worry dear I won't punish you for obeying me, now up you go." The inside of the carriage was just as elaborately decorated as the outside. Black silk curtains hung from the ceiling. Placed perfectly as to not obstruct the view from the window. Red rope was tied around them, and held in place with gold pins. The seats were made of leather just as black as the curtains and in pristine condition. Gold was inlaid in everything from the door handles to the swirling design on the carriage walls, an exact replica of the same was on the outside.  
"Are you not going to take a seat?" Lady Amethyst asked, gesturing to the lush leather cushions on her right.  
"I-I'll sit on the floor." I replied, feeling more and more out of place among all the finery. Yes, I was cleaner than before thanks to the scrubbing all the slaves were given, but not near clean enough to sit on a seat made for an Aristocrat.  
"That won't be necessary, little one, you will sit by me instead. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you."  
"Yes ma'am."  
"You can call me my lady or mistress, ok little one."  
"Yes Mistress."  
"Good boy. Now go on, sit down."  
I sat carefully as far into the corner as I could, not wanting to touch her any more than necessary, but also craving her closeness. I was startled when she pulled me close once she sat down.  
"M-Mistress."  
"Yes, darling?"  
"Umm… an exile like me shouldn't be touching someone like you. What if someone saw us? They'd think you were courting death."  
"I couldn't care less what people think of me, or what they think of us, Grim. If I did I wouldn't have held your hand when we left the auction. As for courting death… well life's always boring without a little danger."  
I felt my adoration grow for my new Mistress with every word. She didn't care, she wanted me, she didn't mind touching me. I felt like I was dreaming.  
"Now, Grim, I have something very important to ask you? Are you paying attention?"  
"Yes, my lady."  
"Wonderful. Now Grim I would like for you to be my personal slave… my pet if you will. You'd be only beholden to me, no one else, not the other slaves, and not any other nobles either. If you accept you would be mine alone for the rest of your days. You would be doing my bidding without question, and without fail, there would be punishment for failure, and disobedience of course, but I don't think that will be too much of a problem with you, dear Grim. So… what do you say?"  
"I would like that very much, my lady."  
"Excellent. Now as my pet I have a gift for you." Lady Amethyst said, pulling out four bracelets. Two of them were a bright gold with amethyst colored crystals embedded in them, and the last two were simply solid gold bands. As she slid the large oversized bands onto my tiny wrists, two for each one, they began to shrink down until they were just snug enough not to be pulled off. Once they were in place a warm feeling rushed through me, like a long forgotten hug. I felt wanted, I felt whole.  
"They are embedded with my magic, and they are safe so long as you are loyal to me dear pet. You should never try to remove them… you won't like the consequences if you do. Do I make myself clear?"  
"Yes my lady."  
"Very good… pet."  
The rest of the day was spent on a bumpy carriage ride across the dunes. The inside of the carriage was the nicest place I'd ever slept, even if my lady seemed to be uncomfortable with it. Though, I guess Aristocrats weren't used to such harsh conditions.  
The morning of the next day Lady Amethyst sat me on her lap, and held a piece of paper in front of her. Then she showed me the different symbols, and what they meant. It took me until lunch to realize she was teaching me how to read. My heart swelled with affection and even my new bracelets began to heat up. I assume responding to my feelings for her. I helped the guards bring water, and food to the other slaves in the cage on the second day, just to get out and stretch my legs… I never tried to help the guards again after that, it wasn't worth the emotional pain, or the hunting stares.  
It took another two days before my lady's home came into view. The front gates leading into the town of Roseville were small, and only stood as tall as the men opening them. The simple wooden barrier seemed more for keeping livestock in rather than anything else. The main street heading in was bordered with houses of various sizes, some of them even two stories tall. People bowed as the carriage passed, and a few brave people even waved. Many, however, carried expressions of unease or simply held a blank face, not showing any emotion. A few miles later the houses gave way to a large marketplace filled with stalls of all kinds. Fruits, jewelry, meat, pottery, furs, silks, and cloths of all colors. There was even a small black smith's shop next to a bakery where a woman was selling fresh bread. The whole place was lively, and full of bustling people, people of all colors I suddenly noticed.  
"Is something the matter, pet?" My lady asked.  
"Nothing Mistress… only, umm-"  
"Spit it out pet, is there something that displeases you?"  
"NO! Ah I mean no Mistress, I just noticed how umm… colorful everyone is here."  
"You mean how many races of people are in the marketplace."  
"Yes, Mistress, the black smith has skin darker than coal."  
"He does, doesn't he. It's very fetching on him."  
"I suppose it is Mistress." she chuckled lightly at me, and the bracelets on my wrists vibrated along with her. She wasn't kidding about them being connected to her magic.  
"There is something you should know about me, pet. I am a woman who enjoys unique, and beautiful things. I surround myself with them, and then I pick my favorites, and I keep them as close as I possibly can. I give them a purpose in this useless world."  
"A purpose Mistress?"  
"Yes, their purpose is to serve me, even until their last breath, and if I so chose it, even after that." she declared, the look in her eyes reminded me of my old master when he found a pretty woman to hang on display. I tried to ignore it, and the shiver that traveled down my spine. My lady is not my old master, she was kind, and good. She was teaching me to read, she let me stay in her carriage, she wanted me. No one had ever wanted me before.  
Once through the marketplace, we passed through a pair of gates that were decorated with layers of gold, rubies, and amethyst's creating designs in the thick surface. It was only when we were fully past them, and into a lavish courtyard did I see the Mistresses mansion. It was a pale white marble, inlaid with gold designs that flowed along in the shapes of roses, in some places amethyst colored crystals gleamed in the sunlight, the power of my ladies, magic radiating from them. The whole manner was at least five stories tall, and longer than my eyes could even see. Huge black pillars of marble held up the entrance, and bright blood red roses grew at their bases, climbing partway up the shiny onyx surface. The door, however, had to be the most magnificent part of the building. They were made of solid gold etched with the designs of Firebirds, Sun Lions, Lunar Horses, and so many other regal creatures of our world. It put even the crystal studded gates to shame with its intricate detail, and near life like features.  
"Welcome, my pet, to Rose Estate, my wonderful home… and now your home as well." My lady said in my ear, as I took in all the beauty that surrounded me, "What do you think?"  
"It's so beautiful, not even my old master had anything that could compare with this."  
"Oh, you are so cute, little one. I'm going to like you." The statement seemed innocent, and even sweet, but something about her eyes, maybe it was the way she was looking at me, but something didn't feel right. I tried to shove the thought aside, because… well, because I was actually wanted here, she even said she was going to like me. Hardly anyone had ever so much as tolerated me before, and I wanted to cling to that, to that desperate hope that I could belong somewhere. As the gates closed behind us one of them gave out a loud screech, and suddenly my wrists felt like they were on fire as Lady Amethyst stormed out of the carriage.  
"Why in the three suns of Hysteria is that gate SQUEAKING!?!" she demanded and I felt her anger as the bracelets burned my flesh. A whimper escaped me as I fell to the carriage floor, ignored as people hurried about outside to fix the squeak. I then felt a warm hand on my face.  
"Grim, honey, are you ok? I seemed to have lost my temper for a minute, I hope you didn't get hurt too bad." Lady Amethyst said softly over me, the anger gone from her voice, and from her magic.  
I simply leaned into her touch for the moment, not wanting to think about how I was now once again at the mercy of a woman's mood. It's not like she meant to hurt me, not like Hera, and her purposeful cruelty, my lady was simply upset, and not even at me. She also hadn't slept much during the trip so I can imagine her temper was already short, and a loud squealing gate was probably the last straw.  
"Can you move now, pet. We can go get you something for those burns, if you can. And then I have a surprise for you after a bath, ok." My lady said soothingly in my ear, I knew she didn't mean to hurt me, she was even trying to make me feel better, she was still my savior. With a simple nod from me, my lady backed away as I pushed myself up on shaky arms, and then stumbled to my feet.  
"Come along then, right this way." her hand held mine gently as we made it down the hallway, and I was almost grateful for the tears blurring my eyesight, so I wouldn't have to see people's looks of disgust or fear. We then stepped into a room that smelled heavily of herbs, and infection. My lady called out firmly, "Tiana, come here, I have need of you."  
"Right away, my lady." a voice called, as I began rubbing my tears away. A second later a woman with peach pink skin, and unusually large green eyes came swiftly around a corner. She bowed low and quick before us. Her eyes did not stray in my direction until Lady Amethyst introduced me.  
"Tiana, this is Grim, my new pet. He's in need of a bit of burn cream. He is also in need of a bath." she said, holding her hand up to her nose.  
"Ah, I can send you with a jar. Someone can put it on him once he is done." Tiana said swiftly, her sweet face hardly changed expression as she looked me over, and then went in search of the burn cream. It was only as she passed over the jar that I caught sight of a gold bracelet on her wrist, a gold bracelet almost identical to the ones I wore, only containing rubies instead of amethyst's. Once we had the cream Lady Amethyst once again grabbed my hand, and began leading me down the halls. Any servant we passed bowed quickly before moving on with their work, hardly sparing me a glance. Though a few gave me sideways looks until they saw the bracelets on my wrists, then they wouldn't look at me at all. We walked for a ways before taking stairs leading down toward the underground, where a room was filled with light steam, and large pools of water, seemingly fed from the rock wall itself.  
"Penny, come here, and get this boy cleaned. Then fetch him some new clothes, and get rid of these awful rags."  
"Of course, Mistress. Right away, Mistress." an older woman said, her brown hair was sprinkled with gray, but it did nothing to diminish her nymph like beauty. Her pale white skin was only a shade lighter than her pupil less eyes, giving her the look of the blind, but she could clearly see us and her surroundings. A black band adorned her wrist as she reached for me, but her callused hands stopped short before touching my skin.  
"... A White Reaper?" she questioned, in a soft voice, and I couldn't tell if it held fear or awe.  
"He's half… is that going to be a problem, dear Penny?" Lady Amethyst asked in a way that said there had better not be.  
"N-no my lady, no problem at all. Come along." Penny said, but she still didn't touch me until she had to help me take off my clothes.  
It wasn't until I was being scrubbed down with a soap filled sponge that I realized Lady Amethyst never left. I suddenly felt a lot more self-conscious when I noticed her eyes were on me, they were filled with amusement and something else, something that looked a lot like hunger. I was shocked out of my musing by a bucket of ice water being dumped over my head.  
"Now you soak in the water, while I get your clothes." Penny said, pointing to one of the large stone basins filled with steaming liquid.  
As I sunk into the warm water Lady Amethyst came over to lean against the side, and began running her fingers over my face and shoulders.  
"Your hair is so beautiful." she said, as her long nails trailed through a few of my white strands.  
"So are your eyes, I've never seen such a dark purple before." she continued, tipping my head back on the smooth rocks to stare into them.  
"Have you seen others like me before?" I asked, in a fit of bravery, hoping for a yes, and dreading a no.  
"Yes, but only one." was my mistress's icy reply, and I felt the bracelets warm under the water as her mood soured, "She belonged to Charles at the time."  
"Charles? As in Charles Baron?"  
"... Yes, how do you know that dear pet?" she asked slowly, the bracelets reaching an uncomfortable temperature around my submerged wrists.  
"Well, umm, Charles Baron is my father. It may have been my mother you saw."  
"Oh?" and just like that the bracelets stopped burning, and my lady smiled.  
"What a wonderful little turn of events." she said with glee, her onyx eyes sparkling as she once again resumed petting my hair.  
"My lady?"  
"Did you know, pet, that I was once engaged to you father?"  
"No, Mistress, I did not."  
"Yes, it was around the time that I saw that female White Reaper, your mother I suppose."  
"I think Mistress is better off without Charles Baron, you can do so much better than him." isn't that what you're supposed to tell women when they get dumped.  
"Why you little charmer." Lady Amethyst said with a laugh, and I felt my heart sore as she turned her beaming smile on me.


	5. Chapter 4

A short while later Penny returned with a soft towel, and even softer clothes. Once my wrists have been covered in burn gel. Lady Amethyst sends Penny to get a salve, for the unhealed whip marks on my back. I'm sure they would leave scars either way. I slipped on black pants that felt like they were made of the finest silk, and a burgundy vest, tied in place with a gold belt. Lady Amethyst brushed out my hair before tying it back with a small strip of cloth.  
"I'd prefer it if you wear your hair long, from now on, dear pet. Can you do that for me?"  
"Yes, my lady."  
"Wonderful. Now then, for that surprise."  
Once more Lady Amethyst was gently taking my hand, and leading me down the lushly decorated hallways of her home. We passed paintings of people wearing lavish clothes, fresh bouquets of brightly colored flowers, decorative vases, and so much more finery. Then we turned down a hallway that is covered in darkness, black curtains cover the windows, and the deep red colored paint on the walls was so dark it almost looked black. The deep hardwood floors hardly reflect any light at all. The only spot of color are the gold candle holders on the walls. They have red wax candles in them that flicker in their own light.  
"Umm… my lady?" I question softly, scared to raise my voice in the sudden looming hall.  
"Almost there, pet." she says back, her eyes taking on a feverish glint, as the bracelets on my arms warm up with a happy almost anticipating feeling.  
When we get to the door at the end I can only think back to the door that my father shoved me through, the door that held scratch marks from desperate nails. I wonder if my happiness is about to end once more, if I'm going to go through hell again, if I'm going to be whipped, starved, and ignored. Is it too much to ask for someone to want me? But when the door opens the inside looks nothing like I was expecting. Instead it is a plain cement room. One that is well lit, with drainage holes in the floor. An assortment of weapons hung on the blood splattered walls. There was a fancy chair in one corner of the room, and in the middle of the room sat an old blood stained wooden chair that was occupied by an emaciated man.  
"Umm… mistress? What's going on?" I asked, the uncertainty ringing clear in my voice. I didn't know if I should be relieved or not.  
"This man has stolen something from me dear pet, and I want it returned. This happens from time to time you see, so I'm going to teach you how to get the information I need. Ok, pet?"  
".... That means we're going to torture him?"  
"We won't have to if he tells us what we want to know, but sadly people like him can be very stubborn."  
"Oh." I said, not sure how I should feel about this. I was relieved I wasn't the one getting tortured, but on the other hand I was now the one that was going to have to do the torturing. Was it better, or worse to be the giver or the receiver in this scenario?  
"Don't worry, darling, this shouldn't take long. Then we can go see your new room, it's quite nice, and very close to mine." she purred in my ear, sending chills up my spine.  
"Umm… yes, my lady." I answered, receiving that brilliant smile from the bath.  
Lady Amethyst plants herself in the fancy chair across the room, and orders me to remove the man's gag and blind fold. When I reached forward to touch the man I felt the cold. The cold that could only mean one thing. This man was going to die today. The only question now was how painful it would be?  
At first the man didn't say anything as Lady Amethyst instructed me on how to use a whip. He then screamed as she taught me how to pull his nails from his fingers, using pliers that came from the wall of weapons. Something odd stirred inside me as I listened to his ear piercing screams. It wasn't until Lady Amethyst pulled out crystals and rune stones that the man said anything beside curses. It was a name, the name of a dead woman walking.  
Once we were done Lady Amethyst helped me pull a knife blade across the man's throat. She smiled as the light faded from his eyes. I felt numb as she pulled me down to the baths again, this time she joined me as we had both been covered in the man's blood. Once we were scrubbed clean she ordered the servants away before dragging me into the warm water.  
"You did so well, pet. You did so well for me." she praised, her long nails running from my shoulders down to my chest, and then over my stomach, "Such good pets deserve good rewards." she continued, as her hand went lower still.  
It didn't hurt, the feeling of her warm flesh on mine where blood had been washed away only moments ago. It was… unsettling. Just as unsettling as her lips on my skin, on my face, on my own lips. All of it was unsettling, from the jerking of her hips, to her panting breaths, to her smiling face, to the deep warmth of happiness that came from the new shackles around my wrists. I lost a part of my soul that day… a part of my innocents, but something else was stirring inside me, something dark, cold, and frightening. 

For the next year Lady Amethyst kept me by her side near constantly. She taught me everything from reading, and writing to the proper way to skin a man alive. I learned how to ballroom dance, and use the proper utensils when I sat at an Aristocrats table. I learned the best way to take the human body apart, and even how it put it back together. I learned how to please, and pleasure my lady in any way she commanded, and I learned it well. All the while that small dark spot in my soul, growing bit by bit.  
By the end of the year my lady began to have others instruct me on things as well. Tiana taught me how to mend any wound, how to make pastes for bruises, burns, and cuts. She even taught me what kind of different plants were used to make medicines and poisons. A man by the name of Thitan taught me how to walk in silence, and how to scale walls with hardly any hand holds. One of his bonded, a middle aged woman named Mini, taught me how to hold a knife, and the many, many ways to use it in combat and outside of it. She even taught me how to fight.  
Time moved on, I grew taller, my hair grew longer, I became stronger, and the days slowly fell into a pattern. Then I was introduced to Inari.  
Inari was an old guard, one who'd traveled the desert, and knew the dangers that lay within them. He was the one that taught me survival. Inari never looked at me during our lessons, preferring to sit on his stool and stare out at the desert while rubbing the stump where his leg used to be. Inari was a man that was never all in the present, but he knew how to tell a story. He could tell you the tales of myth, and legend.  
How Hysteria was created by Phenixo, goddess of the suns, and rebirth, and her brother Deathta, god of the moon and the afterlife. How, Nurture, Phenixo's adopted daughter, given to her by the ones of old, came to love Indris the god of all animals. She, born of nature, much beloved by the nomadic gypsy tribes. How Ansel brought war and then pride, and then through his dimi-god son Locran, chaos. He could tell you how Grugdea made the rivers with the help of her sister Mera, goddess of the land itself. He could tell you how Grugdea called life to the rivers in the forms of man eating River Maidens, and the small protectors of the rivers called Water Sprits. How Biphy brought flames, and creatures made of them, and how Uraura brought winds, and currents to the land. How Rukdon, god of night, fell for Myphy, goddess of oracles and seers, to make a young god of dreams named Gizolt. How Rutyx, god of law, and his twin Nutyx, god of order, dragged their sister Yuna, goddess of justice, into becoming the court. How Mera of the land loved Theono of the sky, and gave him a child that would connect them both in the form of Oaos of the mountains. He could tell you of Elara's love that became revenge as she laid Ansel's body into the earth, for her daughter Keilani the beautiful goddess of all magic.  
He could tell you the tales of his life, and the places he has been, from the Mountains of Iro, to the Snake Dunes that lead to Elara's Ravine. He could give you a rundown of the Jinni Islands from port to port. He could even tell you the rumors of the real Jinni's that once dwelled there. He could tell you the best way to avoid Giant Desert Worms, or how to talk a River Maiden into eating someone else. He could describe in great detail the Sun Lion prides of the West. His knowledge was extensive, and he had been ordered to share it all. So, for six long months I sat at his back while he faced the vast desert, and wrote of all he would tell.  
On my last day he turned to me, the look in his eyes said that he had seen enough of the world, and did not plan to be in it long. His cold hand landed on my head, "You're a good lad." he said. I never saw him again after that day.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this chapter is so short I will be posting another one Friday.

A year and a half after my lady brought me home I was given my first assignment.  
"His name is Filo Namzy. He lives on the southeast side of the village near the old abandoned Potters shop. I want him dead by morning, alright pet?" My lady told me holding out a map, and a hand drawn picture of a middle aged man out to me.  
"Yes, my lady." I answered, by now knowing when to argue, and when to agree. My lady was a kind woman to those who please her, and not so kind to those who don't. Filo Namzy is a man that does not please my lady.  
I made my way outside the mansion and down the street, pulling my hood over my long white locks in order to blend in easier. Everyone in Roseville knows me at this point, after being paraded around by my lady for a year many will even greet me by name. Someday I may have to go after them, just like I'm going after Namzy now. It's a horrible thought, but a true one.  
I pass the black smith shop where Mitus still works, his dark skin illuminating from the flames of his kennel. A black band adorns his wrist these days, it didn't when I first met him. He pays me no mind as I pass, and I can only be grateful. I don't think I could act casual knowing that this night I will kill a man in cold blood. A brisk breeze blows by and nearly takes my hood with it, but a swift hand on top of my head holds it in place. I turn down Hide street, and have to take a deep breath. This won't be the first time I've killed someone, it won't even be the first time I've killed someone I know. That honor goes to Penny. This will be the first time I'll have to kill someone without my lady watching. This will be the first time I do it outside of that room. I could send him outside Roseville. I think I could warn him that he has displeased my lady, and that he should run. The man isn't a slave, he's a merchant, he may even have a chance. It's not like I haven't saved others from my lady's wrath before. I've learned how to calm her temper, and how to persuade her interests. But, as much as I wished to save this man, I know better. This is a test, to see if I'm ready. Ready for what I don't know, but I do know the price for failure. I've seen what happens to failures. It's never pretty.  
I pass a few more houses before I come to a nice two story brownstone, townhouse that Namzy and his family own… or will have owned after I'm done I suppose. It's easy enough to walk around the back, and jump the garden fence before slipping inside, working my way toward his office. I don't bother knocking before I head inside etiquette won't matter to him in a minute anyway.  
"What? Who let you in here! I'll call the guards!"  
"Filo Namzy, my Lady Amethyst sends her condolences." I tell him following the instructions my mistress had given me.  
Namzy goes pale as the crystal sand dunes to the far east, and then tries to leap out the window. Like a man of his bulk, and weight would be able to get away from me that easily. A tug, and a slice of my knife later, and Namzy was gurgling on the floor as his life blood spills from the gash in his neck. The cold I feel from him let's me know that he'll only last a few more minutes. Maybe someone would find him before the end, maybe it'll be his wife, or his daughter. Maybe they'll flee before Lady Amethyst's guards come to drag them away as punishment for Namzy's sins. Maybe I should try to warn them, but something inside me says to focus on myself. That they are only getting what they deserve by making my lady cross at them. This was a test after all, and the price of failure was far too high.


	7. Chapter 6

It wouldn't be until three months later that I was given another assignment that would lead to a major change in my life.  
"Her name is Sonya Bennett, and now that her ailing father has finally bitten the dust his entire fortune has gone to her. Little Miss Bennett, is a distant cousin of mine, and a rival that I've grown very tired of. In fact, we once tried to catch the eye of the same man, your father in fact. But, that's ancient history, right now your job is to bring me her head." My lady ordered.  
Mistress sent me away with one thing, a gun that shoots darts covered with poison from a Tailed Scorpion. My other bags had already been packed, and I grabbed them as I headed to the door.  
"Have a safe trip my pet, I'll see you in three weeks." Mistress cooed at me, her hands trailing a line of heat up my arms, and across my shoulders. She kissed me on the cheek as she wished me farewell.  
This wouldn't be my first trip into the desert, but it would be my first one alone. Alone seemed to be how I spent more, and more of my time lately. When I wasn't at the beck, and call of my mistress, or in training. I always found myself with too much time on my hands, and no one to spend it with. I had approached Tiana for a chance to bond a while back, but was gently rejected in the gruff manner she always had. She doesn't look it, but Tiana is nearly eighty, an unheard of age for a slave to reach, even one in such a gentle profession as healing. Tiana has lived too long, and seen too many things, she has nothing left to give. No affection, no love, and certainly no will or need for companionship. It was a hard blow, but one I understood. 

Venturing into the desert alone is dangerous, but there are some perks that come with having White Reaper blood. My white hair reflects the sun's heat, my tan skin can't be burned by their rays, and my dark violet eyes help block out their overly harsh light. I could survive out here for months on my own if I so desired. Not that I would remain on my own for long.  
I don't know why, but the animals of the desert seem to find something fascinating about me. Not even a day out, and a pack of Desert Wild Dogs are already trailing behind me like puppies looking for a treat. The first few times this happened I, and the group I was with thought that we would be attacked, only that never happened. After a while we simply became used to it. It was only after they trotted off that Dust Cats whipped through, not to cause trouble of any kind, but to simply rub against my legs, and then blow away again. Anytime I find myself outside Roseville I can always see a Sun Lion male looking at me from across the dunes. Most of the time there's always something trailing along after me, or cuddling up to me, like I'm some sort of great wild beast tamer. Well, all except for Giant Desert Worms, but nobody wants one of those things anywhere near them, and they can never be tamed. 

a day later I entered the tree line that grows along the Makawa River. The towering trunks are nearly five hundred feet tall, and one hundred feet wide, their canopies can stretch to over two hundred feet across. The shade cast by them can block out so much of the suns it sometimes seems as if the three orbs of light are never there. Any plants that grow in this dark environment are well known for their tendency to be juicy, as they drink up a lot of water to live. It is said that the roots of these plants reach down past the rivers base to the deep underground, that is why they can grow so large. That night I take refuge within the large branches of the Yuno Trees, the leaves are large enough to be used as a blanket and it's smooth bark makes a great bed for my tired body.  
In the morning I'm greeted by the sight of an angry little creature standing on my chest. It's a Flower Elf, and I must have accidentally slept on its home. I slowly sat up, and turned to look. There was a small family of them that were trying to make a new home in my pack, so I had to gently shoo them away. Flower Elves have a basic human shape and wings, and the biggest one was only about the size of a fully grown adults hand. Most of these tiny creatures are the color of rich green vines, and various colors of flowers. Others have skin that is made of bark, or flowers, and their hair is made up of tiny leaves. This family looks to be made of some sort of mushroom, but the suns know I'd never be able to tell what.  
Dire Town is exactly due south of Roseville, and is the only place I'll be able to stop that has any kind of inn or some sort of lodgings. It'll take a week to get there, and that's only if I manage to find a safe spot to cross the Makawa River. Thankfully the Makawa is no were near as dangerous as the Ojibwe, with its harsh currents and jagged rocks. The forests that surround the Makawa are thick, and going at an even pass would take me almost two days to get through at the most, but once out it'll be a straight shot to my destination.  
When I get to the river a gruesome sight awaits me in the form of three monstrous River Maiden's feasting on the corpse of a man by the shore. River Maidens are terrifying creatures, and are well known for their desire to eat human flesh. Legend says they were created by Grugdea to eat the corpses of men tossed into her rivers. But, if you ask me the River Maidens seem to prefer fresh kills. My theory is that the goddess of rivers didn't want people destroying her creations, so she made vicious guard dogs, guard fish if you will, to ward people off. However, River Maidens aren't the only dangerous things that guard the fast flowing liquid, there are also Water Tigers. Powerful creatures that are practically invisible until it's too late, and you find yourself in their jaws of needle like teeth.  
The only good things that live around the Makawa are Water sprites. Similar to Flower Elves they are tiny beings that have a basic human form. Only these guys are made of water, and are typically seen wearing some kind of shell like armor. Various fin like designs decorate their bodies, and can be used to identify what part of the hierarchy they are from. Unlike the River Maidens, and Water Tigers, these little guys can actually be negotiated with if you treat them kindly. They have even been known to help large parties across the Makawa. A ways down from the ravenous Maidens I find a small stone path, and a group of Water Sprites sitting on a rock.  
"Pardon me?" I call, and the tallest of the Sprites floats close enough to touch, but only just. With a tilt of his head he sends me a questioning look from behind his dark conch shell helmet. I've never met a Sprite that could talk, I don't even know if they can, but I do know they understand our language very well.  
"I'd like to cross, please. I'll trade you a jar of jam for safe passage." I tell them, holding out a small jar of desert berry jam that I had flinched just for this occasion. Sprites are notorious for having a large sweet tooth… after all. With eager nods, three of the little Sprites take the jar from me, while the others spread out along the stone path as I start walking across. It's an easy journey from one side to the other, and although the maidens look in my direction several times a simple signal from the head sprite keeps them away. Once across I give them thanks, and continue on my way, it won't be too much longer from here.  
As I neared the edge of the forest I noticed a large caravan sitting just past the last Yuno tree. A closer look made me realize they were a Gypsy caravan, not a merchant one. I began looking around to see if there was a way around the caravan without being seen. Gypsy's are notorious for being… well, strange. There was no telling if they'd try to sacrifice you to one of their gods, or treat you like one. A rustle to my left had me turning to face exactly what I was trying to avoid… a Gypsy. This one was a young female, maybe fifteen years old. She has thick curly brown hair that looked to have purple flowers growing out of it. Her topaze yellow eyes, normal for a gypsy, or so I'm told, were locked onto my purple ones in awe.  
"A White Reaper." she said with wonder, before bowing to me in a way I'd only seen servants bow to their masters.  
"Please one of Keilani, won't you let us feed you? I'm sure Lady Nurture would be very pleased." she said, and I could see others emerging from the forest behind her.  
"Umm… I wouldn't want to intrude, and I have some business to attend to anyway." I tried to decline as politely as I could. I didn't want them to try and sacrifice me if I was rude.  
"Oh… " she said in disappointment, before perking back up and saying, "Then let us provide you some supplies dear Reaper, perhaps another water skin, and some dried desert hare jerky."  
At this point the other Gypsy's were closing in, and it was far too late to run.  
"... Very well." I answered, and attempted to keep as much distance as possible from the Gypsy's as they led me up to their caravan. This became nearly impossible as the Gypsy's turned out to be a very… friendly group of people.  
They're also a very colorful group. It's well known that the Aristocrats have tried on multiple occasions to enslave the nomadic nature lovers, and they have failed every time. It's said that Gypsy's that die in captivity are found shriveled up like a plant that has gone too long without water. It's very easy to believe with their obvious connection to nature and freedom. Every Gypsy seems to have some kind of plant growing from them, whether it's in their hair, or on their skin. One of the men escorting me has a vineyard of grapes tumbling from his scalp. I follow the young Gypsy girl to what I assume was the family wagon. A small thing decorated with purple, and yellow tapestries depicting the old love story of Nurture and Indis.  
"My father will be so pleased to meet another one of Keilani's children. He hasn't seen any White Reapers in these parts since he was a child. Wait here, I'll go get him." she said, with a sideways smile as she climbed into the caravan yelling for the man.  
Quite a commotion followed, and suddenly a middle aged man was standing right in front of me. His peppered grey hair fluttered in the wind, as wide yellow eyes looked at me in no small amount of wonder. He was a tall man, almost too tall for the wagon. His skin crawled with vines that looked like they may be brittle bush by their tiny thorns.  
"By the suns of Hysteria it's true." he muttered under his breath, before leaning down closer to my level, "It will be my honor to help you on your journey, young Reaper." The look of wonder only got more uncomfortable now that he was looking at me dead in the eyes.  
"Father, you should introduce yourself. You're making the Reaper uncomfortable." his daughter whispered loudly at him from behind, as if she didn't drag me over here without introducing herself either. Like daughter, like father I guess.  
"Oh, right, my apologies. My name is Arawn Vine, and of course you've already met my daughter, Avis." he said, with a gesture in her direction. She once again gave me a bow as her father continued, "I'm the head of the Otasha Gypsy clan. Is there anything we can get you?"  
"It's nice to meet you… I'm Grim. And, maybe another water skin would be nice." I answered, not sure if I wanted to chance turning down the offer for help, and seeming rude. I just wanted to get out of here as fast as I could.  
"Oh course, right this way." Arawn led me a short distance to another wagon that I assume was the supply wagon by the four cam-mules attached to the front. Inside held an assortment of things from clothes to grain, to some weird basket things in the corner. After being handed a large water skin I went to exit the wagon when a dark cloak caught my eye. The material was a rich black, darker than anything I'd ever seen, the light around it seeming to absorb into its deep folds.  
"How much do you want for the cloak?" I asked, and was surprised when Arawn simply took it off its peg and placed it over my outstretched arm.  
"No need for payment young Reaper, take this as a gift."  
I startled. A gift? A gift besides my name. Even after all this time I'm not sure if Secret is even real. Her phantom still shows up from time to time, but now it's only in my dreams.  
"Umm… you can call me Grim, and I, well…. Thank you."  
"You are welcome, young Reaper. If I may ask, where are you headed?"  
"Really, please just call me Grim, and I have business for my mistress in Dire Town."  
"Your mistress? Are you a slave, young Reaper?"  
"Umm… yes."  
"Ah." was his reply as he took note of the golden bracelets around my wrists. The silence becoming awkward before anyone spoke again.  
"When I was nine an Aristocrat by the name of Opal Gore captured my mother. I suppose she thought mother would make a good slave, or maybe she was jealous that mother was prettier than her. Either way she took my mother away. Gypsy's like us are not meant to survive behind stone walls. It only took a month before her withered body was thrown out into the desert for me and my father to find." Avis said, her words were so quiet that the wind nearly took them away.  
"Oh… I… I'm sorry that happened." I sighed, I had no idea how to comfort someone, much less someone who lost a mother to the same system that held me captive.  
"Oh, it's ok, father says mother is in a better place now, one where the Aristocrats can never touch her again." Avis said quickly, her arms gesturing about, as her father looked on with a sad smile.  
"I hope your mistress is far kinder to you than Opal Gore was to my wife." he said, as he placed a comforting hand on his daughter's head.  
"Lady Amethyst is… kind enough to those who obey her." I answered, only to watch them go pale as her name came from my lips.  
"Lady Amethyst? Of Roseville?" he asked with urgency in his voice.  
"Yes, that's her."  
"I heard she throws those who fall out of her favor into a pit full of Giant Desert Worms, and any who does not hold beauty in her eyes are sent out into the desert to die."  
"Umm… well, she does." I confirmed. There was no need to lie after all, but I'd seen Lady Amethyst do far worse to a person than just sending them to be killed by the desert, or the worms. To die by Lady Amethyst's hands was the worst kind of death I'd ever seen.  
I saw looks of pity in the yellow eyes of Arawn, and Avis, and felt raw anger build up inside me. I don't need their pity, unlike most I'm strong enough to handle the harsh life I've been born into. I have survived where others have fallen. I do not need their pity.  
"I should go. I have a long journey ahead of me. Thanks for the water, and cloak." I said, before taking off into the desert once more. Wanting to get as far away from the caravan, and their pity filled eyes as fast as possible.


	8. Chapter 7

Dire Town is a place bustling with activity, and full to the brim with flowing tokens, and services a plenty. The market is only a third the size of my lady's, but it seems so much fuller, and livelier than Roseville. It's not hard to find the Bennett Estate, it's the biggest place here. Surrounded along two sides by lush flower gardens, and on the other two by high iron work fences that cut her off from the mid class Aristocrats. It takes some sneaking to get past the servants, soldiers, and guards but nothing I haven't been trained for. There is a close call with a cleaning maid, but a handy potted plant helped out well enough. The only problem I was having is finding Sonya Bennett in her large behemoth of a mansion. She wasn't in the main bedroom, though there was a redheaded man tied to the bed in his underwear. I guess she, and my mistress really are related. The gardens are filled with servants, and the library looked like no one had used it in years. I managed to search through a few more rooms, before a commotion catches my attention. Three young maids go bristling past muttering to one another.  
"What is she doing to that poor girl?"  
"She's our mistress… for us to question."  
"But how… treating the poor dear so cruelly?"  
"Just stay out of the office… mistress doesn't need to be disturbed."  
Then the three were out of sight, and out of hearing range. Thanks to them I did find out Sonya was in the office, probably punishing a young slave by the sound of it. I continued sneaking down the hall, and finally was able to pinpoint exactly where my target was. Not because I knew what she looked like, no, because I could hear her. Loud shrieking that would put even mistress's highest tones to shame. They echoed through the empty hallway. One door on the left was half open, probably left that way by the last person who tried to enter, and was sent away by the shrieking. Inside I could see long black hair flowing about as Sonya stormed around the room, throwing any object she could get her hands on, at a curled up figure of a person on the floor.  
"I NEVER EVEN WANTED YOU, OR YOUR PATHETIC LITTLE BROTHER! THAT'S WHY I KILLED HIM! MY ONLY GOAL WAS TO GET YOUR STUPID FATHER'S FORTUNE! I DON'T NEED YOU, YOU WORTHLESS MISERABLE MISTAKE!"  
They were just words, but they seemed to hit the mark if the flinching of the poor person was anything to go by. Neither of them paid any attention to me as I made my way into the room, sticking as close to the shadows as I could. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd marched right up, and stabbed her. No one would have noticed not with the fit she was pitching. The figure on the ground had their face to the floor, and even if they didn't I could smell their tears from here. I waited till Sonya stormed her way over to my side of the room. I pulled the dart gun up, and aimed it right for the lightly tanned skin of her slender neck. Three seconds after the dart hit home, Sonya fell to the ground clutching at her throat, and making choking noises as the paralysis took over. I walked forward when she could no longer rise, ignoring the cowering slave as it shifted its trembling form. With a yank to her dark locks I pulled her head back and looked down into her light green eyes. Even as she choked her eyes remained defiant, and she tried her best to claw at my face. She was a pretty woman, all soft olive skin, with high cheekbones, and sharp features.  
"Lady Amethyst sends her condolences." I tell her, and watch her eyes go wide with anger and then fear, but not at the mention of my lady's name, but at me.  
I pulled my knife blade slowly along her neck relishing the moment. I then started hacking away until her head came free of her shoulders. A choking sound has me looking across the room into a pair of watery blue eyes.  
"S-step mother?" she chokes out, and for the first time I realize that it isn't a servant curled up on the floor, but a noble girl. Her bright red hair looks like it's been torn from its intricate braids, and her once pretty dark green dress is ripped along one side.  
"She's dead." I tell her. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered if I should feel sorry for the girl, I did just kill her step mother in front of her, but at the same time I just saved her from her abuser. I was confused.  
"I… I-" the girl bends over and begins to cry again, her tears hitting the floor with a splash. In a fit of what I can only call insanity, I walk over to her, and place a hand on her shoulder in comfort. She jerks away in fright, that's when I realize my hand is covered in blood. That probably isn't very comforting.  
"A-are you g-g-going to k-k-kill me too?" she studders out, her eyes fixated on the blood dripping from my fingertips.  
"No, my job was only to kill Sonya Bennett."  
"W-what about w-w-witnesses?"  
"I was given no orders on how to deal with those." I answered, standing there in awkward silence as she trembles on the floor. She doesn't say anything else as I pull out a sack, and drop Sonya's head into it. Making sure the rune ties are in place to keep the head fresh for my mistress. It isn't until I head for the door that the girl speaks again.  
"Sh-she killed Gavin."  
"Who?"  
"My little b-brother… he was only f-five." her voice took on a flat tone, and her eyes began to glaze over. Her body began to shake uncontrollably. She's going into shock. I knew from Tiana's teaching how to help. I was just unsure if I was supposed too.  
I spared a glance at the bag that held Sonya's severed head. I placed it on the ground, and slowly made my way over to the red headed girl on the floor. I have never gotten to treat any of the patients in Tiana's medical room. Most of them were very uneasy with me being in the room learning. There was no way one of them would let me touch them. But, I knew in theory how to care for someone in shock. I'd seen Tiana handling everyone from soldiers to children. It couldn't be that hard to get her to lay down and prop up her feet.  
When I laid my hand on her bare shoulder her skin felt cold, surprisingly not the cold of a coming death, but like the icy nights that fall upon the desert like a fog. I marveled at the rarity of touching someone as I laid her down gently, and used a discarded book to prop her feet on.  
"Stay right here." I told her, reluctantly removing my hand from her soft pale skin. I paced over to the window, and ripped the curtain from its rod, before laying the thick cloth over her chilled body. She didn't even flinch as I ran a still bloody hand over her forehead. With one last look I left the girl laying there. I pick up the bag holding Sonya's head, and make my way out of Bennett Estate, and then out of Dire Town, and back across the desert. The girls soft blue eyes, and red hair didn't leave my mind as I traveled back to Roseville.


	9. Chapter 8

"Wonderful." My lady cooed, as she took the head from the sack. Blood pours out of the neck, and onto my lady's hands. She pays it no mind, even as the red liquid slides down her arms, and drips onto the polished floor below.  
My mind drifts off as my lady continues to examine her new prize. The girl's image comes to me easily, her red hair bright as fire light, her blue eyes bright with pain even as they clouded over. But, what I remember most is the way her skin felt against my own. The soft smoothness of her shoulder as she let me lay her down. The way her chest rose and fell as she breathed. That was the first time I've touched someone without them flinching away. The first time I reached out, and wasn't immediately rejected. Well, unless you count Lady Amethyst's touches, but those hurt more and more often. Besides anytime my lady touches me now there is only one thing on her mind, and that one thing always makes me feel hollow inside.  
"Something wrong, pet?" My lady asks, pulling me back from my thoughts.  
"Nothing, my lady."  
"Don't lie to me, pet." she commands, her voice taking on a colder tone as her attention sharpens.  
"I… well… it's just… " I start, and stop a few times before finally gathering my words, "There was this girl." I tell her, wonder clouding my voice once again as I think of her bright red hair, and sky blue eyes.  
"A girl?" is the sharp reply, and I know I have displeased her in some way.  
"Yes… she was at the Bennett Estate."  
"Who was she?"  
"I don't know."  
"A slave?"  
"No… she wore a nice gown. She called Sonya stepmother."  
A maniac gleam entered my lady's eyes. "Oh she did, did she?"  
"Yes, mistress."  
"And you liked this girl?"  
".... I don't know, mistress. It was a short encounter."  
"But, an encounter that stayed with you."  
"Yes, mistress."  
"Hmm." My lady hums, as she places the head of Sonya Bennett into a glass case covered in red runes. Someone will transport it to the trophy room later, "How would you like to see this girl again, pet?"  
It felt like a trap. The way the words glided out of her mouth felt for boarding like the heavy air before a sandstorm.  
"... Only if my lady wishes it." I said eventually, and my careful words were rewarded with a smile, and a trip to her bed. 

A week later I sat in my lady's carriage as we rode to Dire Town. We were going to attend Lady Sonya Bennett's funeral. The irony wasn't lost on me.  
Once the casket closed on the headless body, I broke off to find a red headed girl. I only found one head of red hair, and it did not belong to a short female, but to a large male. A very familiar male, one that I remember being tied to Sonya's bed post. It took nearly half an hour to find out that the man in question was Robert Vos, the newly widowed husband of Sonya Bennett, and the father of one Maggie Vos.  
No one talked about the girl, there were no pictures of her on any of the walls, no sign of her presence at all. It was almost as if she didn't even exist. There was only a name to go with her pretty face. I began to wonder if Maggie was like Secret. Just a figment of my lonely imagination. Then my lady came, sweeping down the hall, servants and slaves skittered out of her way like the sand in a storm.  
"There you are, pet, come I have news for you." she said, with a gesture in my direction, and with a twirl of her magnificent red robes she turned around and I followed close behind.  
As we walked along the hallway I could feel the smug satisfaction radiating from my bracelets. My lady seemed to be in a wonderful mood. I, however, felt conflicted. On the one hand I had killed this woman, there was now a man without a wife because of my hands. On the other hand it made my lady very happy to have her rival dead, and Sonya probably would have killed Maggie if I hadn't. The thoughts ran in circles in my head until me, and my lady entered the carriage.  
"Did you find anything on your mystery girl?" My lady asked, once she was settled.  
"Only that her name is Maggie Vos, daughter to Robert Vos. But no one mentioned anything else, and I couldn't find a trace of her anywhere." I answered promptly, and with frustration. I kind of hoped my lady would let it go after that. No need to taunt me with things I can't have, like a companion. It was a far fetched idea anyway. Some random girl let me lay a hand on her shoulder while she was in shock, it was nothing more than that. Except now that girl was missing, and I was beginning to wonder if I was cursed.  
"She was indeed the daughter of our dear Robert."  
"... Was?" I couldn't help but ask in dread.  
"Yes, was. You see I had a lovely conversation with the poor widower, and after providing, well, shall we say comfort to the man he was very forthcoming about his only living child." The smile on my lady's face as she said comfort could only mean one thing, one thing I was determined not to think about. My lady's smile changed. It morphed into a look that the slaves called, the Dust Cat that caught the Desert Hare, and had a saucer of cream to boot.  
"Dear Robert, thinks that it was little Maggie that took his beloved wife's head." My lady stated with glee, before throwing her head back, and giving a full bellied laugh, "The man's so disgusted by her killing his wife. He also blames her for the death of his only son too. Frankly it's amazing the man didn't have her tortured, and killed in some horrific way."  
That sentence caught my attention, "He didn't?"  
"No." she answered, and now her full attention was on me, daring me to ask.  
So I did, "What did he do to her?"  
"Sold her as a slave at the Moon Bazaar."  
I fell silent at the news. I was happy that she was alive, but sad that she was in a bad situation. I was also happy that she'd been lowered to a place that was closer to my reach. Not that I would ever see her again, or so I thought.


	10. Chapter 9

I stared at the pack in my hands as my lady kissed me on the cheek bidding me farewell. Her words echoed in my head like a drum.  
"Go to the Moon Bazaar, and pick up that little girl of yours. Then bring her to me."  
I felt elation, and dread warring for a place within me as I gathered supplies for the weeks long journey. I would only need enough for one on the way there, but I would need enough for two on the way back. I refused to think about the fact that it had been over a month since Maggie was thrown into slavery. A delicate person like her had an extremely low chance of surviving the harsh conditions she would find herself in at a Bazaar. The journey there was a blur in my mind. I slept little, and traveled longer in order to make it there sooner. Not that sooner would help any if Maggie was no longer alive. I saw the Bazaar before I smelled it, a complete change from the Sun Bazaar. The attendant that greeted me sported a clean appearance, and a beige uniform that flattered her figure well. I had heard rumors that the Moon Bazaar was run by an all female staff. I had thought the tales exaggerated their appearance, and attitude. Apparently not.  
Not long after I entered the attendant was replaced by the owner herself. A woman by the name of Pat Kalicon, well known for her sharp eyes and immortal looks. Her soft blonde hair was held back by an elaborate set of gold rings that glittered in the suns rays. Her face held rounded edges that did not betray her advanced age, and her tan skin had fewer wrinkles than even my lady's. She could be described as beautiful, but not in the same way my lady was, it was a dulled sort of beauty, all her attributes muted in some way that gave off more of an average vibe than anything. But, her eyes. Oh, her eyes were something else. Black eyes that were darker than any night, and held no light in their abyss like gaze. It certainly did feel like an abyss, the daunting terror like feeling that grips you as you hang onto the edge of sanity, just waiting for that final push. And, then she blinked. The feeling left as quickly as it came, but I still found myself avoiding her gaze.  
"And, what can we help you with today, little White Reaper?" she asked, her voice almost sounded as if it echoed inside my head.  
"My lady Amethyst sent me to fetch a girl."  
"Hmm… any girl, or a specific kind of girl?"  
"A girl with red hair, and blue eyes. She was the daughter of Robert Vos. Her name is Maggie."  
"Real specific then." she said with a raised eyebrow, calling an attendant for assistance. It took no longer than an hour before the attendant was back, two redheads being dragged alongside her. One was Maggie, and the other unfamiliar to me.  
"Do either of them meet your requirements?" The attendant asked, her voice devoid of any emotion.  
"Yes." I answered, pointing to Maggie on the left. The attendant simply nodded, before grabbing the girl on the right, and walking back out dragging the other girl away with her.  
"Now to payment." Pat said, the echo inside my head pulling my attention back to the Bazaar owner.  
A round of bartering later, and I left with half the tokens still in the bag, and Maggie at my side. She followed along without much prompting, but remained worryingly quiet until the Bazaar nearly faded from view.  
"You're the one from that night." she said softly, and if I wasn't paying such close attention I would have missed it.  
"Yes." I answered, though she hadn't really said it as a question.  
"It looks like you saved me once again… thank you."  
I was startled, so startled I almost tripped on my own feet. Didn't this girl know I was the reason she was blamed for Sonya's death? Didn't she know I was the reason she was sold as a slave? Didn't she realize that I wasn't, and couldn't free her?  
"I didn't save you." I insisted, turning away from her relief and hope in her eyes.  
"But you did."  
"I'm the reason you were sold as a slave! Do you not understand that you were blamed for a murder you didn't even commit?"  
"... I do understand that, but I also understand that if you hadn't been there I would have died by her hands instead." The softness of her voice did not go away, but the low volume did as she looked me straight in the eyes, "You even came to find me."  
"But, I can't free you." I said, even though it would be so easy for me to let her walk away, to simply claim that I lost her on the travel home. But, I knew how Lady Amethyst's mind worked. This… this was a test. I knew that I was supposed to bring Maggie back to her. To show my loyalty, and how well I followed her orders. If I didn't it wouldn't end well for me, or the older girl next to me.  
"I don't think I would survive if you did free me." she said, and the honesty in her voice shocked me.  
"But, I'm taking you back to my mistress!" I told her, and froze when Maggie's small hand landed on my shoulder.  
"But I'm with you. I'm not alone anymore."  
And really what can I say back to that?

The trip back stretched my loyalty, and my sanity like nothing before. Despite what Maggie said I still worried and stressed. There was no telling what the mistress would do with her, and I could only think that whatever it was I would be the one to do it. I wanted to tell her to run, I wanted to shove the tokens into her hands, and send her far away. At the same time I wanted to keep her close. I wanted her small, smooth hand to keep holding onto my callused hand as we made our way across the desert. But, it didn't matter what I wanted. I had my orders, and I would fulfill them… for good or for evil.  
What should have been the last day of our journey brought one of the many dangers that the desert offered. A sandstorm. The humidity in the air became thick like water, and the winds increased in speed, and heat. I could see the fast approaching swirling funnel of sand in the distance. With no cover in sight I yelled at Maggie to lay down in between a small pair of dunes, and I quickly laid on top of her to keep her small lighter body from being blown away. Once settled I ripped the cloak from my shoulders and over our heads a wasted attempt to keep sand from getting in our eyes, nose, and mouth. The searing hot wind howled so loud I thought I might go deaf. Then the thunder came.  
The swirling sand cloud became so thick that the suns mighty rays were blacked out, and we were plunged into darkness. Then the lightning began to crack all around us. The only source of light I could see behind my eyelids. It was all I could do to hold onto Maggie as sand pelted our bodies like a whip. I grunted as I felt the vicious wind try to rip our small shelter from my hands. The only reason I managed to hold onto the cloak was because of Maggie. She quickly grabbed the slipping corner, and held it in a white knuckled death grip. Her fear stricken face was all I could see as I squinted my eyes as the lightning flashed in front of us.  
The storm carried on for hours. The unrelenting heat cooked my skin, and I could only imagine the agony Maggie felt with her delicate pale skin exposed to the harsh boiling hot air. By the time the storm moved on we were buried under a mound of sand. It seemed like an eternity as I dug us out. Once out I helped Maggie apply a soothing balm to her blistered skin. I always bring it with me for this kind of situation. There wasn't enough in the small container for both of us, but I didn't care. She needed it more. I was just fascinated that Maggie was allowing me to smooth the cream over the harshest of the burns. 

By the time we made it to the forest the moon was high in the sky. There's no way we were making it back to Roseville today. I snuck a glance at Maggie. She looked exhausted, and she flinched every time she moved. We would need to make camp for the night. I could keep going, but there was no way Maggie could, and it would be cruel of me to force her.  
"Let's make camp." I said, looking around our surroundings to find the best place for her to sleep.  
"I can keep going." she panted, bending over to catch her breathe.  
"No you can't. You look exhausted." I said bluntly, earning a small glare from her, "I'm only speaking the truth. It won't hurt to be a day late. The mistress will understand when I explain."  
"Are you sure? I don't want you to get punished because of me." she whispered, she was so tired she couldn't even raise her voice.  
"I can handle whatever my lady does to me." I answered her, I spotted a large Yuno Tree that would make a great shelter for us, "We'll sleep over here tonight. We'll probably only get a few hours rest."  
"Will it be safe to sleep on the ground?" Maggie asked, looking around, "What about the animals?"  
"We'll be sleeping in the tree. I wouldn't sleep on the ground even if I was paid to." I said matter-of-factly, "War Hogs are pretty vicious creatures. They love to attack people."  
"W-War Hogs?" she studdered, "I don't know how to climb a tree."  
"Don't worry, I'll help you." I squat down to my knees, "Get on my shoulders, and I'll give you a boost."  
"Umm… ok." she carefully climbed onto my shoulders letting out a little yelp as I lifted her into the air.  
"Now grab the branch, and pull yourself up."  
She did as I instructed, "I'm up."  
I immediately climbed up to the branch above her, and tried to get comfortable. Just as my eyes were beginning to close I heard Maggie say very quietly, "What's your name?"  
"Grim."  
"... Umm… Grim?"  
"Yeah?"  
"I'm scared."  
I wasn't sure what to do. I'd never comforted someone before. Especially not a girl. What was I supposed to do in a situation like this? There was a long moment of awkward silence before she spoke again.  
"Would you sleep with me, please?"  
"Umm… alright." I answer her, sitting up on my branch, and then climbing down to sit beside her. I sat as far from her as I could not wanting to accidentally touch her. The silence was very uncomfortable, and for once I wished something in the forest would make a noise. I glanced at her, and saw she was shivering.  
At night the temperature in the desert can drop from unrelentingly hot to freezing in a matter of seconds. I felt bad for Maggie. I could tell she was not used to ruffing it in the desert. I gave out a small sigh, slowly moved closer to her, and put my arm around her shoulders. She immediately stiffed at my touch, and I was regretting my decision.  
"You looked… cold." I said quietly, "I can move if you're uncomfortable with this."  
"No… it's alright." she answered back, her body starting to relax, and her eyes starting to close, "I was cold…", Her breathing evened out. She finally fell asleep.  
I couldn't believe it… someone was actually willingly letting me touch them. I was so surprised I was no longer tired. There was no way I was going to sleep now, but that was ok. I wanted to keep Maggie safe no matter what. 

Morning came faster than I expected it would. Mordoc, the first sun, rose over the horizon, and blinded my eyes. I didn't end up getting any sleep last night. Maggie had moved around during the night, so she was now hugging me around the waist, her head of long curly red hair resting on my chest. I was unsure how to feel happy, or embarrassed. I need to wake her up, but at the same time I don't want to disturb her peaceful sleep. Maybe I just didn't want this moment to end.  
"Maggie…" I whispered, gently pushing her arm, "It's time to wake up. We have to keep moving."  
"Mmm…" she grunted, and stretched her arms, and legs out. She opened her pale blue eyes blinking at the sudden blinding light of Mordoc that was slowly climbing into the sky, "How much further do we have?"  
"We have to cross the river." I said, "Then it's a straight shot to Roseville."  
She was suddenly wide awake at the mention of crossing the river, "R-river?"  
"Yeah, it's not that bad though." I answered her, "What's wrong?"  
"I can't swim."  
"Oh… don't worry I'll help you."  
"But, what about the River Mermaids?"  
"Those won't be a problem. I'll find us a safe passage." She looked at me, the fear bright in her eyes. "Don't worry I'll keep you safe… I promise." I tell her, gently taking her hand in mine.  
She gave me a small unsure smile, and held onto my hand tighter than my lady ever did. I helped her out of the tree, and we began our walk to the river.  
I heard the river before I saw it. It must have rained somewhere in the Iro Mountains last night, the water wasn't nearly this high when I left for the Moon Bazaar. This was going to be a problem.  
"I'm not sure about this Grim."  
"Hold on tight to me." I told her, "I'm gonna have to swim us across."  
"What?"  
"The water is higher than I thought it would be. Put your arms around my neck", She reluctantly obeyed. I picked her up piggy back style, and slowly lowered us in the water. The current was strong… very strong. This wasn't going to be easy. "Hold onto me no matter what happens, ok."  
"Ok."  
I let go of the river bank, and was almost swept away by the raging waters. I started to swim… fast. The other side seemed so far away, but I kept up a good pace.  
"What was that!" Maggie yelled, over the roaring current.  
"I felt it too!" I yelled back, "Don't pay it any mind, we're almost at the other bank!"  
Just as we reached the other side I felt something bump my leg, hard. I pushed Maggie onto the bank as I was pulled under. The last thing I heard above the raging of the river was Maggie screaming my name.  
I had been pulled under by a Water Tiger. It's needle, like teeth had hold of my pants. I struggled to get hold of my knife. It felt like my lungs were about to explode. I needed to get out if this… now. Finding my knife was difficult, and I was beginning to black out. Finally my hand brushed it, and I grabbed onto it for dear life. I ripped it free of its sheath, and stabbed the Water Tiger right in the eye. It let go with a pained roar. I quickly swam for the surface. I gulped in a lung full of air, and started swimming for the shore. Luckily I hadn't been swept too far down stream. Maggie was looking around frantically, tears steaming down her face.  
"MAGGIE!!" I yelled to her. Her head snapped in my direction, and she ran towards me.  
"Are you okay? What pulled you under?" she said, the words spilling out of her mouth so fast I almost didn't catch them.  
"I'll be fine." I panted out, "A Water Tiger. I got it in the eye."  
"I didn't even see it." she said in awe.  
"I felt it before I saw it." I said, I had finally caught my breath, "Well, we're almost out of the woods. Let's get home."

We finally made it back to Roseville late into the day. I could see Roseville's small wooden gates. I could also see mistresses unhappy frown, and sure enough as we entered her main office my lady looked at me over her folded fingers, the corners of her lips were turned down. But, then her look changed to a look of slight shock as she saw who was behind me.  
"You brought her after all."  
"Yes, mistress. Please forgive the delay, there was a sandstorm yesterday, and we could not safely continue traveling within it." I explained, hoping to settle her ire before it could begin. I also left out the part about the Water Tiger.  
My lady says nothing as she stands, and rounds her desk, gliding past me to stand before Maggie. She lifts a hand to the redheads chin, and tilts her head this way and that way, before walking around her in a slow circle, and coming back to the front of her desk, "She's quite a pretty thing isn't she, pet?"  
"I suppose so, mistress."  
"I do love pretty things." she says, and the smile that dances on her lips makes my shoulders relax. Mistress is pleased with Maggie, that's far more than I ever wished to hope for.  
"JULA!" Mistress screams, and a small girl with long blonde pigtails enters the room from the hidden servants entrance. She says nothing, and bows to my lady before standing to wait for her orders, "Take my pet, and his new companion to get bathed, then bring the girl a uniform, and put this on her." My lady holds out a solid gold necklace with an amethyst crystal embedded in it.  
I bow low to my mistress before following Jula out, Maggie follows my example with a curtsy that has mistresses eyes dancing with glee. I can hardly believe my good fortune. Maggie is unharmed, the mistress wants her as a slave, and she called, Maggie my companion. There was a feeling bubbling in my chest, and it takes a while to recognize. It's happiness, true unburdened happiness, but the happiness I felt now wouldn't last.


	11. Chapter 10

After bringing Maggie back I claimed my first bonded. This was good and bad, good because I could protect her, but bad because all the other slaves would avoid her. I assumed it was a combination of my Whiter Reaper blood, and her Aristocratic past. I think it's because of her connection to me that my mistress has made Maggie her main maid in waiting. It was a shock to see Maggie wearing the burgundy uniform of the main maids, with her red hair chopped short around her face instead of the long flowing waves it had been when we first met.  
For a time I thought life would be fine. I finally had a bonded, someone to call my own. I had a mistress that cared for me, or at least didn't care about my blood line. But… then it just… wasn't. My lady was suddenly sending me on more and more complicated missions. I was away for longer periods of time, and at Rose Estate a lot less. Maggie didn't have it easy either. Any time I saw her these days she was running to and fro, fetching whatever thing my lady wished for. It seemed my lady demanded more and more of her, wearing her down, and almost draining her spirit. It began to strain our relationship, and we seemed to end up on the bad side of each other's tempers too often.  
Today I woke in my mistress's bed as Maggie entered the room. The look on her face was not a happy one, but she hid it before my lady could see. Wise of her really. Luckily my lady only gives her a passing glance before turning back towards me. I felt her hand trail up my waist, going up my stomach, chest, and then to my neck. She turned my face toward her as she laid a deep kiss upon my lips.  
"Good morning my pet." she whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine, and they don't feel pleasant.  
She doesn't wait for my reply as she rolls away, and leaves the bed. Her skin glowing in the weak morning light, and her hair, thou a bit wild, still flows around her bare body like silk.  
"Maid hurry up and pick out my outfit. I have an important meeting with some merchant's from Ragepeak today. I need something low cut, and sensational, after all Lucien Gold will be here in the flesh." My lady orders, and Maggie dips a low bow before turning to the closet full of clothes.  
"Pet, you have business to take care of as well, you best get ready." My lady says, pulling the covers away from my face, "I expect you to have an answer for me by this afternoon, and once you are done I want you to head to Derous."  
"Yes, mistress."  
"Good."  
Silence settled over the room as Maggie helped my lady into a gown of dark red silk. Jewelry was added, and her hair brushed, and pulled into a high tail that flowed gracefully down her mostly bare back. Lady Amethyst closed her eyes, and Maggie used pale powders, and various shades of creams to change my lady's face. Then Maggie added dark paints to cover my lady's eyelids, and lashes, and the applied red rough for her full lips. Once done my lady looked like the vision of perfection. The dress cut extremely low, and hugged her curves in all the right ways. Her long hair shimmering in the morning light, and the added gold decorations only enhanced the look. She was as beautiful as she was cruel.  
"Well, pet, what do you think?" My lady asked, as she glided around the room to a large three paneled mirror at the far end.  
"You outshine Biphy herself, my lady." I answered, which earned me a smug smile, and a painted kiss to the cheek. I could feel the sticky red lip print that was left behind.  
"I'll be off then." she said, as she swirled around to the exit. Maggie jumped to open the door for her, but my lady paused before exiting, "I'll call on you later." she had a hungry look in her eyes. I only nodded to show I understood, and with that my lady glided away.  
Once the door shut behind her I closed my eyes, and slumped further into the bed. I felt like I could sleep all day. The exhaustion of three weeks on a mission, and keeping my lady company last night was quickly catching up to me.  
"You should get up, Grim." Maggie said, and I felt the bed dip as she sat down. I opened my eyes, and looked into her own pale blue ones, they were filled with worry and fear. It wasn't surprising really. The mistress has been using her as leverage against me lately, and it's wearing down on both of us. Her safety now rests on my shoulders, any screw up, and she will be the one feeling the pain of failure not me. I gently reach out to hold her bandaged arm. She flinches away before my hand can even touch the wrappings. A punishment for not coming back soon enough from my last mission.  
"You should get Tiana to look at it again." I tell her gently, as I finally sit up in the massive bed. Maggie turns her head away, and I'm not sure if it's from shame at her injury, or embarrassment at my naked form. Maggie seems to be against seeing anyone naked though, by this point she's seen me, and the mistress without clothes about as much as she's seen us with them on.  
"Tiana gave me some cream to put on it, and told me to rest it more." she answered, tucking the arm into her body, "You really should get up, I have to change the sheets." She manages to give me a sheepish smile.  
"Can you pass me my clothes, please?" I ask her, I watch as she goes about the room gathering them up. A look of disgust crosses her face with each item.  
"Grim, these things are filthy!" she exclaims.  
"I didn't exactly have time to change when I got back, and it's not like they aren't about to get dirtier in a few minutes anyway." I say and finally swing my feet onto the floor.  
"She has you torturing another poor soul!?" she drops my clothes in shock, and I can't answer her. I know Maggie hates it when I'm covered in blood. She hates even more knowing where the blood comes from. When the silence starts to get uncomfortable I reach down at her feet for my clothes only for her to place a warm hand on my bare shoulder.  
"I'm worried for you." she says gently.  
"Why? You know I can handle these things."  
"I-I know that. But, you're told to hurt people, and that can't be good for you mentally. It's like that woman is trying to turn you into something just as cruel as she is, and not to mention all the missions she's been sending you on lately. For the suns rays you've been in the desert longer than you've been here. How many times do you have to come back hurt before she gets tired of you? What if you don't come back at all? What will happen to me? You're the only one who cares if I live or die, Grim! By Ansel's bones you're the only reason I'm alive right now! You killed my tormentor, you brought me to this, she devil in human skin, and it's you that's been trying your hardest to make sure I don't get hurt. So, tell me Grim, what happens to me when you are gone!?!"  
She's right of course, she would have died by her step mother's hands if I hadn't showed up that day, and she would have most likely died in the Moon Bazaar from starvation. But, if I'd never brought her to Lady Amethyst she wouldn't be hurt now, and her life wouldn't hang in the balance every time I mess up. I regret not telling her to run that day so long ago. To run when she had the chance. She may not have survived the desert, but it might have been better than this slow torture from fear, and insanity. I realise now just how selfish I was back then, I wanted a companion, I wanted someone who wasn't afraid of me. Someone who would be mine. But, I'm learning that anything I claim as mine… well it will get hurt just because it belongs to me. Maggie breaks down into frustrated tears, I reach out and hold her to me. The way she leans against me still makes me happy, and that twists my stomach into knots. It turns out I'm still selfish. I still want to keep her here with me, even knowing how much pain she's in.  
"Maggie, I'm not going to die anytime soon… please trust me." I gently guide her to sit on the floor, and pull my still discarded clothes over my lap, "I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I said that when I swam us across the Makawa River, remember?"  
"I remember, but-"  
"No buts. We'll both be fine." I gave her a soft smile, and held her close for just a little longer. Then I stand up, and pull my clothes on, as Maggie wipes the tears from her face.  
"I hate what she makes you do. When you're not out in the desert, you're covered in blood, or worse you're in her bed!" at this she gives the bed an offended glare, "I hate it!"  
"I know Maggie, but it's ok-"  
"No it's not okay, and you know it!"  
"... It's the only way I know how to live, Maggie. If I obey then neither of us get hurt. This has been my life for five years now, I don't see it changing any time soon… I have to go now, the mistress wants her answer by this afternoon." I almost get to the door, before Maggie breaks her angry silence.  
"Grim, please be careful." she says softly, and I can't help the flutter my heart gives at knowing that someone cares. Even when I brought her to this hell she still tries to look out for me.  
"I always am." 

I can't get Maggie's words out of my head, as I make my way to the all too familiar gray stone room down the dark hall. I promised Maggie that I'd keep her safe, but I can't do that without fulfilling the tasks my lady wants me to, and this next task is going to be a difficult one. Last night my lady told me that Mitus, the black smith, helped some slaves escape. He and two others had been caught, but the slaves still managed to get away. My lady wants to know where they have gone.  
Mitus is a good man, one that has helped me out quite a few times over the last few years. He never touched me, but the man never failed to give a kind greeting. It wasn't hard to picture him trying to rescue slaves from this life. I could only hope he'd give me the information I needed, before I had to hurt him too badly. The familiar wooden door appeared before me. I wasn't ready to face this. I took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked inside. Mitus was strapped down in the chair. He looked very uncomfortable in the position he was in, but he didn't let it show as I came to a stop in front of him. Mitus slowly raised his head, and his pale green eyes locked on mine, a resigned look coming over his face before he spoke.  
"Hello, little Reaper. I figured we would meet here one day."  
"You did?"  
"Yes, it became inevitable when I choose the path of helping others to freedom."  
"You're not going to tell me where they are, are you?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.  
"Would you if it was your little redhead that was running through the desert to freedom?"  
I knew then I would get nothing out of him. There was nothing anyone could do to me that would make me betray the one person in this world who would willingly touch me. Not even the mistress, she would have to kill me first. He must have seen understanding in my eyes, because his face softened into a small sad smile.  
"Do what you must little reaper, and for what it is worth, I'm so sorry I was never able to free you as well."  
Emotion choked me as I walked to the wall of tools. This man may not have been anywhere close to one of my bonded, but he still let me stay on the roof of his shop when I had no desire to return to my lady's side. He still greeted me by name, and never once avoided my gaze. He was helping others escape. He was sorry he didn't get to free… me? He was a good man… and I was going to rip him apart in the most literal way possible. With his permission! It was with grim understanding that I began pulling his nails from their beds, and placed a man that I had grown to be fond of into a world of immense pain. True to his word Mitus said nothing about where the others had gone. He screamed until his throat bleed, and cursed the gods, but he never uttered a peep about anything important.  
"Please, Mitus. If I don't have something to tell the mistress she'll take it out on Maggie." I begged him.  
"I-I'm s-sorry." he replied, choking on blood, and a broken jaw. I could feel the cold of death coming from him as I left the room. It would be a slow death.  
With a heavy heart I left Mitus to his fate, and went to the next room where another of the men who had been caught waited. The second man was not one I recognized, but the relief I felt at that, turned cold when the first thing out of the man's mouth was, "So they send the half breed demon."  
I grit my teeth, and offer the man a chance to go without pain, "If you tell me where they went I won't have to hurt you."  
"HA! You think I'd trust that. You're that, she devil's pet! Held on a leash, and whored out to whoever she wishes! The only thing you've ever brought is pain and suffering! You say you won't have to hurt me, but even that little bonded of yours walks around wearing bandages like jewelry!"  
"SHUT UP! DON'T BRING HER INTO THIS!!"  
"Ha ha! Don't like that being thrown back in your face, do you… freak! Well let me tell you something, she's not going to last much longer! You think that monster of a woman isn't going to kill her just because you obey, Ha, think again, exile!" he spit the words at me like venom, "My wife obeyed every whim and fleeting fancy that she devil had. She slept with others on that monster's orders, and turned over the children of every union to that false Queen. My wife learned poison's, and how to use them. When that monster sent her out she killed with, them. That still didn't stop that monster from slaughtering our little girl. Three months old, and her only flaw was not being pretty enough for that woman! My wife is pregnant again, and now she doesn't have to obey the whims of a monster to survive. So, do your worst, you half breed pet whore, I have nothing else to lose."  
I'm ashamed to say that his words got to me. They brought forth every emotion, and thought I was trying my hardest not to feel, or think of. The mistress was never going to leave Maggie alone, it didn't matter how good I was at whatever she wanted me to do. I was nothing more than a dog on a leash… and I was never getting free.  
Something in me just snapped. The stress of trying to keep up with the mistress's demands, the worry for my only bonded, the lack of sleep, the anger of not being able to change anything… it was all too much. The prisoner's words weren't making it any better.  
When I came to again, I was covered in blood, and the man was in several pieces. It took me a minute to realise that I hadn't gotten a knife from the wall… so how was this man cut into pieces? A knock on the door brought me out of my stupor.  
"What!?" I growled.  
"L-Lady Amethyst requests your presence." Was studdered out, and I fling the door open. The guard who stood in the doorway took one look at me, and lost a great deal of color in his fat face.  
"I'll go to her immediately. You, find someone to clean up this mess." I ordered, and the man scrambles out of my way as I stomp forward.  
I try not to make eye contact with anyone as I march down the hallways toward my lady's office. I feel bad for the blood trail, but it's not like I have time to wash up. The mistress is not known for her patience. Once in front of the office door I give it a sharp tap, and the reply is a quick, "ENTER!"  
"You summoned me, mistress?"  
"Yes. Come in, and shut the door." My lady said from her desk, not even raising her head as I entered.  
"Take a seat, we have much to talk about." she ordered, pointing to one of the chairs in front of her lavish desk.  
"Umm, I'm not sure you want me to sit down, my lady." I said as politely as I could, and tried not to flinch as her black eyes rose in anger to meet my own. Then they blinked in shock before settling down in amusement.  
"Oh… it looks like you had, fun pet."  
"I might have gotten a little carried away." I say, and manage to hold in the wince as I think about the body I left behind.  
"Hmm, did you get the information that I was looking for?"  
Now I really did wince, "No mistress, I'm sorry I have failed you. But, there is still one prisoner left to gain the information from."  
"No, there is not. The last one was found dead in his cell over an hour ago. He apparently had a poison capsule hidden in his teeth."  
I felt my stomach drop at the news. I had failed my lady again, and Maggie was going to pay the price. But, before I could even ask about my bonded the mistress continued on.  
"But, we'll worry about that later. For now I need you to go to Derous early. The merchant Evert Lodran is only going to be there for another few weeks. I'm giving you a month to complete the mission. I want Evert's pathetic little family killed for daring to swindle me out of my money. I want their hearts instead of their heads. Do you understand?"  
"Yes, my lady. Would you like me to find out where the money is, and return it to you as well?"  
"That won't be necessary this time, my pet. I plan to take over his whole business, and make his wealth my own." The annoyance in her voice was echoed by the heat around my wrists.  
"Of course my lady. I shall go prepare right away."  
"Oh, and pet?"  
"Yes, my lady."  
"I've heard that Lodran has a rather pretty young daughter. Don't get attached to this one."  
"Yes, my lady." I bow lowly, before turning to the door, it opens from the other side before I have a chance to grab the nob.  
"My lady, Yugogi has returned with your request." a young maid says, bowing so low her hair touches the ground.  
"Oh? Change of plans, Grim. You're going to come with me for now."  
"Mistress?"  
"Yugogi, has just returned with my new group of bed slaves. We're going to go greet them."  
In other words, I'm going to show just how obedient I am, so they know just how they're supposed to behave.  
"Yes, my lady."


	12. Chapter 11

On the way my lady was called away by a very frantic maid.  
"Go on ahead, dear pet, let them know I'll be there in a moment." she said with a sigh, her glittering red robes flowing behind her as she disappeared down the hallway.  
"Yes, mistress."  
The new slaves were lined up in one of the many lavish bedrooms that Rose Estate had to offer. This particular room was called the red room, it was called such because of the deep crimson color that covered the walls and floor. There were six female slaves in total. Three with blonde hair, two with dark brown, and one with black. The one with black hair caught my eye, not just for the tiny blue flowers that twined through her hair, but also her unusual height and looks. She was at least a head taller than all the others with a rather strong jaw long, and more muscle than I'd ever seen on a female captive before. But, she was still strangely… beautiful. She was wearing a soft blue halter style dress that was extremely short for her height.  
As I looked her over I couldn't help, but feel something was off about her. It could just be that she was a captive gypsy, but I thought it might be something else. Not that I would have time to contemplate that thought much further, because as soon as we locked eyes she was moving. She slipped out of her chains, and knocked out two guards before leaping straight at me. I ducked, and rolled out of her way, but didn't bother drawing a weapon. Instead I followed her out of the room as she took off down the hall. I nearly tripped over the guards she had left laid out in the hallways. Another guard fell in beside me as we rushed after the speeding woman who turned a far corner out of sight.  
"Blasted sand child!" he cursed under his breath.  
"She's a Gypsy actually."  
"Does it really matter!?"  
"... Kind of, Gypsy's don't last, but half a year in captivity, a sand child can last much longer."  
"Frankly, I don't care."  
"... I do." I said, before coming to a halt in the hall.  
"WHAT IN THE SUNS RAYS ARE YOU DOING!!?"  
"I have a mission to complete, catching her isn't my job."  
The man's face turned red in anger, and he spit curses in my direction, before continuing to run after her, "If she escapes I'll be telling the mistress about your behavior." he threatened, before he too turned the corner out of sight.  
With a heavy sigh I decided not to waste anymore time. Mistress wouldn't be happy with me, but with the slave trying to escape the demonstration would be delayed anyway, and I really did have a mission to complete. I made my way to the medical room to gather supplies for my journey. As I walked through the door I saw Maggie sitting on one of the beds with her right sleeve rolled up. Tiana was wrapping bandages around it with her usual scowl firmly in place. Maggie's eyes widened as she saw me, and I realized I was still covered in Mitus' blood. Tiana didn't even glance at me as I went to the cabinet, and pulled out supplies.  
"What happened?" Maggie asked.  
"Nothing. It's not my blood anyway." I said, shoving a small jar of paste into my bag, "I'm going to wash up and head out soon. I just need to gather some more supplies first." I carried on before she could say anything.  
"How long will you be gone this time?" she asked in a small voice.  
"Over a month. It's going to take me awhile to track down my target this time." I sighed.  
"That's… a long time." she said quietly, giving me a sad smile, "Since I won't be able to see you off, I'll say goodbye now. Please be careful."  
"I will. I doubt this mission will be that hard, don't worry about me ok."  
"Easier said than done." she replied, but her smile did grow a little as I gave her a pat on the head, and walked to the door. 

I passed the small wooden gates leaving Roseville, and stopped as my bare feet hit the outer sand dunes. A second of thought had me turning around to look at Rose Estate in the distance, the sun glinting off the red flowered design that sat on the top of the highest spire. I wanted to leave. I was more than ready to leave, but I worried for Maggie. I hadn't gotten the information that the mistress needed, and to top it all off a slave was trying to escape when I left. I knew that Maggie would be the one to pay the price. She would be punished, and I wouldn't be there to comfort her. The only way I could make my failure better was to complete this mission with success, and in the quickest time possible.  
Derous was east of Roseville, I would have to cross the forest, and the Makawa River. I wasn't worried about those things though. It was the desert that worried me the most. Crossing the vast sands during the hottest days would be the hardest part. There would be no shelter anywhere, no water for miles. But, crossing the Grave Dunes… well that was even worse. It is said there is a curse on the land, a curse caused by the death of thousands. The tale goes something like this…. 

Long ago in the war between the Aristocrats, and the White Reapers a mighty forest became a battleground. While the forest's name has long been forgotten, the actions that day have not. It is said that this battle was what turned the tide of the war. It was the first place that the Aristocrats used their alchemy against the Reapers white magic. The results were catastrophic. Blood ran like rivers, bodies piled high like small hills that covered the land as far as the eye could see. When it was over… there was no one left to take care of the dead. So there they lay, rotting in the suns, surrounded by coursing magic both bright and foul.  
Even as years passed no one could recover the dead and it is said that as the corpses decaded, so too did the great forest that once covered the land. Now it is a land of haunted screams, and creeping unease. For somewhere so hot, this portion of land is unusually cold to any who enter in. There is no barrier around the land, but it's easy to know when one enters. The cold seeps into your bones, the screams of anguish piercing your ears… it's enough to drive a man mad. But, the feeling of being watched, and the feeling of cold hands being laid on you, but never really touching you… it was unnerving beyond belief.  
With no way around it would take me a week to cross the vast red sands of the Grave Dunes. I was tired, and weary. I could hear the whispers in my ears growing more persistent the more I walked. My third day in the Grave Dunes as day gave way to dusk I spotted something on the horizon. A black mass that stood out among the red colored sand. Curious, and desperate to shut out the voices, I headed in its direction. It wasn't too far out of my way. When I reached the dip in the dunes where the mass was I found it to be a very large Desert Wild Dog. The kind that you find in a pack, not alone. She was bigger than any other I'd even seen. Even sitting she was larger than me by a whole head. Her dark fur was black as night, and her clear blue eyes looked clouded with pain.  
I noticed that the poor thing was caught in a poachers trap. It looked like something used to trap Lunar Horses, only more vicious with its large spikes, and twisting metal. Lunar Horses could be trapped just by wrapping iron around them, and sure it sounds easy to do, but many men have been trampled by their massive hooves. Lunar Horses are normally gentle creatures, but when trapped they turn vicious. My lady owned a Lunar Horse for about three months before throwing it to the Worms after it killed fifteen of her slaves, and then tried to take a bit out of her.  
I was getting distracted though. This poor Wild Dog was trapped, and bleeding in front of me. Maybe… I could help it. The back left leg was caught in the trap, but it didn't look broken, so that was a relief. When I got closer it looked at me, it's eyes untrusting and filled with pain, the deep growl that came from her throat startled me, but didn't detour me.  
"It's ok." I told her softly, holding out my hands to show her I meant no harm, "That looks pretty painful. Would you like me to get that off?" I asked, gesturing to the trap with my raised hands.  
I slowly made my way forward with my hands still raised. Once I finally made it within touching distance I leaned toward the trap. Only to be thrown across the sand by a swift and vicious swat of the creature's tail.  
"Owww!" I wheezed out, once I got my bearings again. "Look, you! I'm trying to help! If you didn't like me why did you let me get so close?" I asked, but was only met with an unrepentant blink from those clear eyes.  
It took another minute before I felt safe sitting up, and I realized that the Wild Dog hadn't bitten me, when I was clearly in range of those large teeth. Maybe it did realize I was there to help, but just panicked when I went for the trap. So this time I approached her from the opposite side, reaching out to pet her lowered snout instead of going for the trap right away. After a long petting, where I found out that her ears are apparently a weak spot, I stepped around to the trap, and reached for it again, but slowly this time. The Wild Dog made a wounded noise, so I reached up, and patted her in reassurance before grabbing each side of the trap, and snapping it open. The Wild Dog quickly pulled out her leg, and began running her tongue along the wound.  
"Licking it won't help, silly." I told her with a light laugh. Then pulled the pack off my back, and opened it to find a jar of salve right on top. This was probably not what Tiana had in mind when she gave it to me, and she would definitely yell at me if she found out I was using valuable supplies on an animal. But, honestly I felt a connection to the trapped beast, and just wanted to help her.  
"Like I wish someone would help me." I thought, before saying, "Here, let me put this on you."  
I grabbed fresh bandages, and walked over to the giant animal. Surprisingly it let me close again, and even let me wrap the whole wound with little to no fuss at all. When I looked up from tending to the injury, the Wild Dog was staring me right in the face with its clear blue eyes. When it moved suddenly, I expected to be sent flying again. I was not prepared for the wet tongue that collided with my neck, and traveled over my face.  
"Ewwww… that is so gross!" I exclaimed aloud, as I tried and failed to rub the slobber off my face. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that the giant dog was wagging her tail, and stirring up a small sandstorm behind her.  
"Your welcome." I told her, and I noticed that Borus, the third sun's light, was almost gone. It would be cooler to travel at night anyway, and I really didn't have much time to rest, so with one last pat to the dogs snout I left her behind, and started on my way again. 

Hours later I felt eyes on me, and looked around in the pitch black of the night, but couldn't see anything nearby. It wasn't until the first sun, Mordoc was rising that I saw the Desert Wild Dog was still following me.  
"Oh, no." I said, turning around to face the large animal that had come closer, "You can't follow me. Everyone in Derous will freak out if they see you!"  
She paid no attention to my yelling as she butted her large head against my chest as a greeting. I shoved her head away, and tried to turn around to be on my way, but another hard nudge from her had me turning back to see the large beast laying down and looking at me over her back. It took me a minute to figure out that she simply wanted me to climb onto her back.  
I mean I'd heard the stories of the Wild Dogs being rode by humans, but they'd always seemed too wild to be tamed. With a little uneasy I climbed onto the beasts back, and then held on for dear life as the creature took off at a speed that was something I would never be able to keep up with. But, fear fell away like the landscape when I lifted my head, and felt the wind. It felt like flying!  
"This is amazing!" I yelled over the wind. A feeling bubbles up in my chest, and it took a moment to realize that the feeling was happiness. I was truly happy… for the first time since bringing Maggie to Roseville. I almost wished I could stay right here forever. 

The Desert Wild Dog ran till the suns began to set again, and I felt reluctance take over when she laid down for me to get off. Only once I stood on the ground again, did I feel the ache in my legs. "Gah!" I called out as I fell onto the nearest dune, "Ugh, next time I'm bringing a cushion." I told the smirking beast. A quick potion to remove the pain, and I set about getting things out of my pack to eat. I pulled out large strips of dried Firefox jerky, and the Wild Dogs ears perked up, and I couldn't help but huff a laugh.  
"I'm only giving you this because you cut like three days off my traveling." I told her, throwing two strips in her direction. The jerky disappeared in a flash, "Did you even taste it?" I asked in disbelief, but only received a smug doggy grin in return. Then it's eyes turned to my water skin, "Oh no. You'll have to find water on your own, I'm down to half a pouch and after watching you wolf down that jerky, I don't trust you not to take the whole water skin."  
She looked disappointed, but didn't make a move toward it so I assumed she must have some understanding of human speech. With a smile I flopped onto my back, and stared up at the sky. The last of Borus' light was starting to set, and the stars were coming out. They twinkled with a faint light in the high heavens. The temperature was already beginning to drop, and I was thankful the sand was still warm underneath me. I don't know how long I stared up at the sky, content in a way I had never been. Finally my eyes drifted closed, and I fell into slumber. 

I was floating in a void of darkness, no light to be seen. I couldn't hear, I couldn't speak. I was so cold in this place… so frightened. I didn't know where I was, or what was happening to me. All that I knew is people were dying. And almost like the thought provoked them, pale figures began to appear. They were all around me, their mouths open in silent screams, thin hands reaching out towards me. They grabbed my throat, my arms, my legs, they pulled my hair, and dragged me further into the void. Somebody help me! Please is anyone out there! Please help! HELP ME!

I awoke with a start frantically swiping a hand at my throat, and arms to dislodge any phantom feelings of the hands that had grabbed me. A small gust of wind on my back had we whirling around, and coming face to snout with my doggy companion. I let out a breath of relief, and leaned into the comfort of her furry side, letting the last strings of the dream fade away.  
"What was that? I'd never had such a vivid, and terrifying dream before. Could it be because of the Grave Dunes?" I wondered, before shoving the disturbance from my mind and sitting up.  
"Well, I guess we should get moving now that we're both up, huh?" I asked the Wild Dog, before packing up camp, and climbing onto her back again. The freedom I felt as I rode through the desert managed to fling the last dregs of the awful nightmare from my mind. It was early afternoon when we reached the outskirts of Derous. The Wild Dog came to a halt a few dunes away from the massive slum town, and let me climb down.  
"Thanks for the ride." I told her, giving her a few more strips of jerky, "And try not to get caught in any more traps."  
The Wild Dog licked my face before grabbing the jerky, and disappeared back into the dunes.


	13. Chapter 12

I took my pack off, and pulled out my cloak. It was better if I wore it, to help conceal my identity. If Evert managed to catch a glimpse of me he might disappear before I can catch him. With that thought I threw up the hood, and headed into town. Derous was bustling with business. People were trying to out shout their neighboring vendors with the prices on their wares. Some stand owners tried to get my attention as I passed, but I ignored them and continued on. It took everything I had not to look around at the food stalls, and the brightly colored fabrics. There were so many delicious smells that wafted through the air, and some spices that I'd never even heard of before. Everything in Derous was so lively, nothing like Roseville. The inhabitants of Roseville seem to be dictated by the moods of Lady Amethyst.  
Derous is the biggest slum town in Hysteria. It would take me awhile to find my target, especially without giving myself away. But, since I got here a week earlier than I thought, thanks to the wild dog, I had plenty of time to find him. I made my way out of the busy marketplace, and onto an equally busy side street. It looked like even here people were selling things out of their own houses. But, this seemed to be the perfect place to start looking for Evert, with the locals who wouldn't mind spreading a bit of gossip with a passer by. I stopped at stall after stall, and tried my own bits of gossip before asking about Evert Lodran, himself, most times with little to no luck. Not even a single peep about this elusive man.  
Frustrated I sat on the edge of a fountain, and tried mild meditation to keep my temper under control. I had arrived early, I had plenty of time to find him, I hadn't even covered half the town yet. It would be fine… I hoped.  
"What's wrong?" I heard someone ask, but I didn't think it had anything to do with me. That is until a pair of small feet stepped into the line of my downcast vision.  
"Umm… hello?" The same voice asked me. I lifted my head to see a young girl in front of me. She was pretty, with large blue eyes, and long wavy bleach blonde hair down to her waist. Her peach skin was lightly dusted with freckles, and her rosy cheeks still held the light chub of childhood. She was probably a few years younger than me… and she was looking at me with concern in her eyes.  
"Hey, mister? Are you ok? Are you hungry?" she asked, and I could see the missing teeth in her mouth. Without waiting for an answer she ran off to one of the nearby food stalls, and came back with something that smelled of freshly cooked meat. My mouth watered as she handed it to me, and that's when my stomach growled loudly. I was starving. I still hesitated before taking a bite, and looked to her to make sure this wasn't some kind of elaborate trap.  
"It's ok mister, you can eat it. You must be really hungry if your tummy was growling so loud." she said, smiling at me. I hadn't even paid attention to the noises my stomach had been making.  
"Thanks." I said quickly, taking a swift bite and ducking my head in case my cheeks were red from embarrassment, "Mmmm… this is really good." I told her, taking another bite.  
"It's from Daila, she makes the best meat buns in all of Derous." she said, sitting down next to me. She didn't seem scared of me, maybe she just hadn't noticed the color of my eyes and hair yet.  
After a third bite of the meat bun, I turned to her, "Who are you?" I asked, curious about this brave young girl.  
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Febee. Febee Lodran." she answered, and I nearly choked on my last bite. The world was never this nice to me… there had to be a catch. But, maybe one of the gods had decided to have mercy on me just this once.  
"Lodran huh? You wouldn't happen to know Evert Lodran would you?" I asked her.  
"Oh yeah, he's my dad, why? Do you know him?"  
"Umm, yeah, sort of, it's just he's done some work for someone I know."  
"Really?" she seemed a little confused, maybe she could tell I wasn't telling the whole truth, "Are you looking for him?"  
"Yes, actually, my acquaintance has some thing's she'd like me to tell him for her." I answered as honestly as I was able.  
"Oh, well you're looking for him in the wrong place. Dad does all of his business at home. Come on I'll show you." she grabbed my hand and began dragging me through the streets and crowds. I tried to protest, but let it die in my throat.  
I was going to have to kill this girl. I was going to kill her and her family, and she was leading me right to them. I felt so conflicted. If I didn't complete this mission then I feared for Maggie's safety. A third failure would not end well for her. But, to kill this child? This little girl who was willing to help a complete stranger out just because his stomach was growling… it felt wrong. I was jerked out of my thoughts when Febee came to a sudden stop, and loudly proclaimed, "This is it!" her arms spread wide to show off a two story modest dwelling made of Urahan stone.  
"Oh it looks like the cam-mule is gone, dad must have had somewhere to be. But, you're welcome to come inside and wait for him, mom might even be able to help with whatever you need."  
"Oh no, that's ok, I actually had something else I needed to handle today, but thank you very much for showing me the way, and umm… for feeding me. I think I'll have to stop by that shop again before I leave." I told her, with a small forced smile.  
"Oh Ms. Daila will like that. You should tell her how much you like her cooking."  
"I will. Thank you again Ms. Lodran, I hope I may repay your kindness one day." I said, and the words tasted like ash on my tongue.  
"It was my pleasure to help you mister." she laughed, and I couldn't help but think she was so strange for an Aristocratic child, even a low class one. All the Aristocrats I'd ever meet were stuck up in one way or another. They weren't the type to help a stranger in need, they weren't even the type to feed their own slaves. But, Febee… she had been so selfless, so sweet and kind. Not a fake smile, or condescending look to be seen. She seemed so genuine and happy… that wasn't what I was expecting. I waved to her one last time as she headed inside.  
"I hope we meet again mister." she said, with one of those large happy smiles.  
My gut clenched painfully. The next time we meet I would have to kill her… and her family.


	14. Chapter 13

I rested in an ally a few blocks away from the Lodran house until nightfall came. While Evert had returned around the ninth hour of the second sun Orian, I decided to wait until complete nightfall. When it was time I circled the house a couple of times, staying close to the shadows. I was looking for an open window, but instead found some lattice work that led to an open balcony door. It took no time at all to climb up and into the house. The pollen of the glowing lunar flowers that grew on the lattice work had gotten all over me, and I had to dust it from my clothes before entering the house. It would only leave a glowing trail in my wake.  
The room was dark when I entered, only the faint light of Deathta's moon to guide me. The whole room was covered in papers and books, this must be Evert's study. I could probably hold up in here till morning, when the man would come in to get some work done. But, I was really just putting it off. It would be far easier to kill him and his wife while they lay together in bed. I could make it painless, something that they wouldn't feel, and they would depart from this world quickly and quietly… I could do the same for Febee too. Noises from the hallway drew my attention, and I slid, behind the curtains as voices came closer.  
"You know I don't like it when you get up like that. It always startles me, and then I can't go back to sleep until you come back to bed."  
"I'm sorry, Kida, but I just remembered something I have to do."  
"Evert, you need more rest. You've been working so hard the last few days, even Febee has noticed."  
"I'll rest when I get this paperwork done, dear. And, don't worry about Febee, I'll spend some time with her soon."  
"Oh, Evert-"  
"I'll be along soon, darling, you should head back to bed."  
I heard a deep sigh as her footsteps disappeared down the hall. Then the door opened, and a pajama clad Evert entered the room. Without so much as a glance he went to his desk, lit the lantern and began scribbling away on various papers. I took a deep breath, and realized there was no putting this off. It was time to make my move. I quietly shuffled from my hiding spot, and walked to the still open door. Evert's head snapped up once the soft click of the door shutting echoed around the room. His eyes widened as I took off my hood, and started toward him.  
"Who are you?! What do you want!?" he demands, and starts scrambling to stand up and back away.  
"Lady Amethyst, sends her condolences." I tell him, rushing over the desk with my long knife in hand.  
Evert managed to dodge my attack, and roll away before throwing the lit lantern in my direction. I stomped the fire out before turning to him again. The man stood in the center of the room, arm raised a large stone in his grasp.  
"Non-el-armon!!" he yelled, and I recognized the words of a summoning as black smoke began to fill the room.  
I sliced at him through the smoke, and heard his cry of pain as the darkness began to take shape. A figure began to appear before me. The figure of a beautiful woman. Her intricate tattoos glowed an eerie red on her half naked body, and her long dark hair seemed to whirl in an invisible wind. I choked on my breath as I realized Evert had just summoned a witch. Visions of Hiyahi danced in my head. This task had just gotten ten times harder… if it hadn't just become outright impossible. I needed a way out, I needed to regroup, time to plan. This was not what I was prepared for, and if this witch was anything like that blasted hag Hiyahi then I needed a whole lot more than just a long knife for this job.  
For a time we just stared at one another. Me frozen in fear, and her examining her prey. She was looking at me with crazed red eyes, she looked hungry… hungry for blood. The fact that she licked her lips only added to the image.  
"Don't just stand there witch! Kill the Reaper!" Evert screamed, his hand holding his shoulder as blood ran down, and broke us out of the trance.  
Her grin widened as she spun her fingers, and shadows lunged at me. I was able to duck and roll under them, but was showered by debris as they hit the wall, and tore through the Urahan stone, turning it to a fine powder. I tried to blink the dust from my eyes, but wasn't in time to stop her clamping her hand down on my ankle as Evert screamed, "Not in my house witch! Take it outside!"  
She hissed at him in contempt, but easily flung me out the balcony doors, and over the railing. I landed with a thud that knocked the wind from my lungs, and definitely bruised a few ribs.  
"Hmm… I've never killed a White Reaper before." I heard the witch hum as she formed from the shadows in the garden. Her fingers danced with red lightning, and a cruel smile still played on her lips. I didn't have a chance to respond before the witch twitched her fingers, and red lightning began racing up my right leg. All I could feel was the pain as my vision whited out. It wasn't long before I came to screaming as the lightning traveled little by little up my leg. Setting nerve endings on fire, and causing involuntary twitches as I wriggled on the ground. It took a moment to realize that the lightning was actually cutting through my flesh. That I was bleeding out onto the ground. That I was going to die before the lightning even reached my thigh.  
NO! I would not die here. I had too much to live for. For Maggie and Tiana and even Secret, even if she is just an illusion. I dragged my body backwards, away from the witches cackling form, and towards a large rose bush. I didn't have a plan yet, but I knew roses had thorns, and Halula Roses had the nastiest thorns of all. It was easy enough to lay at its base, and stop moving, it was harder not to scream as I tried to play dead. My old teacher taught me this trick when it came to sun lions, but I'd seen enough slaves use it to try, and get free to know it worked on humans too. I followed the old instructions he gave me from way back then, becoming very still, and slowing my breathing enough that my chest didn't seem to be rising or falling. It took extreme effort, but eventually when my screams no longer pierced the air, she stopped her assault.  
"What? Dead already? Oh, you're no fun. I was expecting a White Reaper to last a lot longer." she sounded as if she were pouting. But then I heard her bare feet brushing across the grass as she made her way toward me. When her hand brushed my injured leg I reacted. Throwing her over me, and into the Rose bush. I pulled out my long knife. While she tried to untangle herself from the bright red flowers, and sharp thorns I scanned her body thoroughly.  
A glint in the moonlight drew my eyes to my target. A large black stone on her hip. The partner to the one used to summon her. A quick swing through the air, and my long knife slammed through the stone. Red lines cracked its surface like a dragon's egg. A high screech came from the witch below me, and I felt her long nails scratch my shoulder, and neck before she disappeared into the shadows, and I fell into darkness.


	15. Chapter 14

"Hey, Jay, you should stop by for a drink." a voice yelled, jerking me from the comfort of oblivion.  
"Sorry, busy right now." another voice answered back, and I felt the presence of someone nearby.  
"What in, the moon's blue haze?" The same voice said, and I felt something nudge at my injured leg. A sharp pain laced up it, and I couldn't hold back the horse groan that left my lips.  
"Holy Deathta, YOU'RE ALIVE?!" The shouting didn't help my aching head, and the continued probing didn't endear me to this passing stranger either, "Gotta be some kinda monster to live through a witch's burning." The man said, and I felt a hand near my head, "Wait… your hair ain't blonde, it's WHITE!"  
Where was my knife? I needed to remove this man's tounge, no one should be this loud, especially when they only state the obvious. Yes I'm alive, yes I have white hair that's because i'-  
"YOU'RE A WHITE REAPER!!!"  
No, I'm a Gypsy… duh, I'm a Reaper you idiot. Ugh, could this guy be any more annoying. Just let me die in peace.  
"Man, it looks like you're gonna die if you don't get help, don't worry little Reaper, I'll take you to my shop, and get you someone who can help."  
Apparently he can… and wait a second, who are you calling little? Then I was lifted up, and pain hit me ten fold. Darkness once again claimed me. 

"-ust drop something like this on me. You know I only have so many supplies, and I can't afford to waste any of them on strangers."  
"But, Samantha, it's a Reaper child." a voice said back, and while I can't exactly place it I feel a great annoyance build up in me at the sound.  
"Don't you, but Samantha, me Jay Sharpe! I am the healer here in Derous, and what I say goes! Or do you wanna start handling all the kids with booboos, and the drunks that want hangover cures that came to my door?"  
"Sammy, please, I am one of those drunks that want a hangover cure."  
"Then you'll have to take care of yourself from now on, you old drunk." Samantha huffed, "You run the Shooting Star, Jay, you need to sober up."  
"Can we not bring that up." Jay said back, "If you won't help him, tell me how."  
"I'm a healer, Jay, not a sadist… now step back and let me work."  
"Wait, you're really going to help?"  
"I'll do what I can, but with a witch's curse as bad as this, it won't be easy… or painless."  
"I can handle pain." My voice rasps out before I can think better of it, and the two people startle before the woman turns to me.  
"I don't think you get it, kid." she said, looking at my injured leg with a worried scowl on her face, "this is a witch's curse, things like this don't heal. I can stitch you up, and bandage the wounds, but the skin won't heal together, and the pain won't go away, it will only get worse as the curse progresses."  
"I've lived with worse." I say, thinking of my first master, and then my second. "Can you fix me up enough to walk?" I ask her, wondering how I would manage to get out of here if she couldn't.  
Samantha scowled harder, and she hesitantly ran her hands gently along my injured leg causing me to stifle a sound of pain. As she began probing at the longest uneven gash I decided that conversation might help distract me from the pain.  
"Is there a way to break this witch's curse?" I asked around clinched teeth.  
"Not unless you can kill the witch who did it, and something like that is near impossible." Samantha answered, as she put the first stitch in my leg.  
"I've lived through the impossible before."  
"I'll say, it's frankly impossible that you survived her the first time." Samantha replied back with a snort.  
"Speaking of, how did you survive an encounter with a witch? I know witch's, well… they like to play with their food so to speak, but they don't usually leave people alive." Jay asked, looking over Samantha's shoulder.  
"I threw her into a rose bush." I told him, "It injured her enough that I could use it as a distraction, and managed to destroy her summoning stone."  
Jay gap in awe, and let out a full bellied laugh where as Samantha just managed to scowl even harder at me.  
"Injuring her enough for a distraction, and killing her are two completely different things, young man." she scolded me as she stitched the largest wound closed.  
"Yeah, you might actually die trying to kill her if you go after her with that leg." Jay commented, and once again I had the urge to hit the man over the head. What was it about this idiot's voice that made me want to knock him out?  
"He's going to die anyway, with the way this curse is going to devour him." was the healers comeback. A silence fell over the room, and I once again began asking questions.  
"How long do I have before the curse… devours me?"  
"I'd give it two weeks, maybe longer if you do your best to keep the infection down."  
"Then I have two weeks to find her, and then kill her."  
"With this leg? I don't think you'll even be able to walk on it in that amount of time."  
"Then I'll crawl."  
A laugh turned our attention to the burnett in the corner of the room. "I don't think you're gonna talk him outta this Sammy, it looks like he's made up his mind." Jay said, shaking his head in disbelief.  
Samantha if at all possible manages to scowl even harder at me, and goes back to her stitching. I grit my teeth again, and think about Maggie. I can't stop. I can't give up. I can't just lay here and die. My only choice is to kill the witch. The only question is, how? Not to mention I still need to kill the Lodrans… and Febee.  
"There." Samantha said, cutting a piece of thread, and leaning back, "I'm done. I know you'll probably want to get up right away, but I would suggest staying off that leg for at least the rest of the night to let the salve I put on it numb up the wounds." she says, looking me directly in the eye, her scowl still fully in place.  
I give her a nod in return, but I can't meet her gaze. She gives a heavy sigh, one that reminds me of Tiana when she knows she's not going to be obeyed, but she's going to try tying the patent to the bed anyway. I wonder if all healers have the same sigh, or maybe I'm just the only one they use it on.  
"Jay, I'm putting you in charge, don't let him leave until the sun comes up. Sit on him if you have to." she orders, and passes Jay the jar of salve.  
Jay gives me a half amused, half weary look, that I return with a glare. I go to move my leg, trying to point my toes, but the pain races up my spine, and stops me cold. I manage to strangle a noise of pain as Samantha tosses more bandages at Jay.  
"You're going to want to keep those wounds as clean as you can, infection can set in quickly. Put this on your leg three times a day. I'll be back to check on your progress in the morning." she says, before placing a jar next to the bed, and giving me one last look before she walked out the open door. I mentally make plans to be out of here before morning, and Jay gets a slight panicked look on his face before saying, "Stay right there for a second, ok?"  
He then rushes out the door right behind Samantha.  
If I hadn't tested my leg a minute ago I would be trying to get out of here now, but trying to move without making any noise would be impossible right now. I'll wait a few hours for the salve to kick in then I would try my luck. Whether I have to go through Jay, or not. In the meantime, I needed to think up a plan to kill a witch. 

Jay returned a few minutes later as I was thinking about testing my leg again. He held a tray of food in his hands, and had a hesitant smile on his face.  
"I figured you would be hungry, so I fixed up some food." he said, sitting the tray on the nightstand next to the jar of salve, and then helped me sit up.  
"Umm… thanks." I said, unable to keep from wincing at the sudden movement.  
After a few tentative sips of soup, potato from the taste, Jay opened his mouth to speak… and we had been doing so well.  
"Look, I know I'm supposed to keep you in bed and all, but I have a feeling that when you do get ready to go, you're going to go right through me to leave, and to be honest I like my face just the way it is, so when you get ready you let me know, and I'll stay out of your way, ok?"  
I nod in agreement, and he keeps talking.  
"Great, now that, that's settled, can I ask how on Hysteria did you get tangled up with a witch?"  
"I don't see how that's any of your business." I countered, "Why are you interested in the first place?"  
"Well, we don't usually see White Reapers around these parts, let alone one so young. Reapers like to keep hidden." Jay says, and I freeze.  
"There are more people like me?" I ask in wonder. I'd always thought I was alone… I'd never even imagined there might be more like me.  
"There are rumors that there are… but you're the only one I've seen in quite a long time." he said, his eyes going to my wrists, "Hey, what are those anyway?" he pointed to my lady's bracelets.  
"Isn't it obvious?" I ask back, surely he's seen them on slaves before.  
"What do you mean?" Jay asks back, his head tilted to the side like a curious dog.  
How can this man be such an idiot?  
"I'm a slave." I tell him slowly, "These," I hold up my arms shaking them lightly toward the man, "are to control me."  
"A slave, huh?" he says, something changing in his voice, and I can't identify what, "Who's your owner?"  
"Lady Amethyst." I answer, the look that crossed his face one of fear, and disgust.  
"So where am I anyway?" I ask, changing the subject quickly.  
"Oh, this place is The Shooting Star." he answers readily, looks like he wanted a change of subject too, "It's a bar and inn for weary travelers."  
"Who's the owner?" I ask, trying to keep the discussion off myself.  
"Actually, I am. Why are you giving me that disbelieving look?"  
"You just don't strike me as someone who can run a business like this, is all."  
"I'll have you know I run a fine establishment… I just have a small drinking problem is all." he admits sheepishly.  
"Right… small."  
"Hey, there's no law that says you can't drink with your customers." he said, trying to defend himself.  
"... There should be."  
"Hey!"  
After that I laid back down to rest for a few hours, trying not to move too much, and aggravate my injuries. A few hours later I pushed the covers off, and gently swung my legs to the floor, shoving the pained sound in my throat down.  
"You, heading out?" Jay asked, from his chair in the corner.  
I only gave a sharp nod in return.  
"Samantha's going to be cross."  
"I can't waste more time here." I said back, pocketing the jar of salve, "besides, I feel fine, and I have a mission to complete, then I have a witch to find."  
Jay sighs from his chair, but gets up and opens the window for me, "Go, I can handle Samantha."  
"Thanks… for everything." I said, climbing out onto the roof, and trying to push the pain out of my mind.  
"Feel free to stop by again anytime, kid."  
"Maybe, I'll see you again sometime. I'm sure I'll have to come back to Derous soon anyway." I tell him, before slipping into the darkness and out of sight.  
It doesn't take me long to orient myself, and soon I'm standing back outside the Lodrans house. Evert most likely thought that the witch had taken care of me, so now was the perfect time to strike… when his guard was down. It was easy to climb the lattice work, to the still open window, and then slip inside. The office was still a mess from my attack earlier, and the door was open to the rest of the house. I Tiptoed around the house looking for the bedroom where Evert and his wife would be. After opening three doors I finally found the correct one, and went inside.  
The couple were on opposite sides of the bed. With Evert facing his wife, but her, she had her back firmly turned toward him. I sat across the wife's chest making sure her arms were pinned to her sides, quickly placing my hand over her mouth when she startled awake. Her scream was muffled by my hand as I pulled out my knife, and slowly slide it across her throat. The commotion awoke Evert next to us. He began screaming the second he saw his wife. I managed to wrestle him into the same position, arms pinned, and my knife at his throat.  
"YOU! You're supposed to be dead!" he screamed, when he realized who I was. His eyes full of pain and fear. He was cold beneath me.  
"I'm not. Now, tell me where the witch is."  
"Die in the sun's heat you monster." he answered, his eyes leaving mine to stare into his wife's lifeless ones.  
I needed to know the witch's location, and quickly. I wouldn't last long on this leg, and the sooner I got back to Lady Amethyst the better. But, I had no way to force the information out of him. I should have kept his wife alive as leverage.  
"Dad? I heard screa- oh. " A familiar voice called from the doorway, and we both turned to see Febee standing there wide eyed.  
"FEBEE RUN!!!" Evert yelled, his struggling renewed beneath me so quickly I was almost thrown off of him. With a curse I turned my attention back to the man, and once again demanded.  
"WHERE IS THE WITCH!?"  
"LIKE I WOULD TELL YOU, EXILE!!"  
I hated to do it, but I turned towards Febee who was still frozen in the doorway.  
"Then I'll take your daughter's life next."  
"NO FEBEE RUN!! HURRY!!! GET OUT OF HERE, YOUR UNCLE IS IN CRYSTALMORE… GO FIND HIM!!"  
"There's nowhere she can run that I won't find her old man, and I'll make it slow and painful when I do."  
"You've already taken my wife, please don't hurt my daughter. FEBEE RUN, PLEASE!!"  
I was getting desperate, and so was he. It was easy to tell that Evert knew he wasn't going to make it past this night, but he was desperate to save his daughter. I was willing to barter her life for the location of the witch, but I wanted to watch his squirm.  
"Your wife was killed because you stole from my Lady Amethyst… if I spare your daughter will you tell me the location of the witch?" I ask him with gritted teeth, and his struggles slow as he looks from me to his little girl still standing in the doorway in shock.  
The look on his face changes, from desperation to resignation. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them I see his pain. The pain of loosing his wife, terror for his daughter, and the knowledge that his life is about to end.  
"Swear it to me. Swear it to me on the gods of your kind that you will not harm my daughter if I tell you. Swear it!"  
"I swear on Deathta himself, that I will not harm your daughter if you give me the correct location of the witch." I answer easily, something within me tightening, but the pain from my leg creates a distraction from it.  
"You best keep to your word, Reaper, or I'll haunt you till your dying day… the witch is in the main marketplace, you can find her booth across from the potters shop." he answered, and I wasted no time slicing his throat open. I heard a small choked whine come from the doorway, but I paid no attention to it as I climbed off Evert.  
I looked to see Febee sliding to the floor, and staring at her parents bodies with wide eyes full of tears. I didn't want to do this in front of her, but I needed to get this over with quickly. So, as efficiently as I could I plunged the knife into Evert's chest digging around his ribs, and pulling out his still bleeding heart. I placed it in a special ruin covered bag, before moving to his wife. By the time I was done with her, Febee's small quiet sobbing turned into high whining, and I was dripping with blood. I walked across the room, and knelt before her placing the knife at her unresisting throat. Something within me tightened again, and I wondered if I'd already gotten an infection, or if the witch had managed to hit me with something besides a burning curse.  
I don't know how long we sat there. Febee sobbing, me still and debating. I had promised I wouldn't harm her… but only if he gave me the correct location for the witch. I would wait till I found out if Evert had lied, or not before I killed Febee. With that thought I pulled the unresisting girl to her feet, and walked out of the house, both of us leaving bloody footprints in our wake. Once outside Febee's sobs fell silent, and I couldn't help but be grateful, I wasn't sure how I would shut her up without attracting more attention. We traveled in silence until we made it to the main market. It was eerily still, and silent in the moon's light.  
"Which one is the potters stall?" I ask out loud, not really expecting Febee to respond to me. But, she raised a lightly trembling hand in the direction of the farthest stall on the left, and we made our way over. Across the way a large sign reads, Fortune reading, healing potions, and curses for sell. There's no door, just a thick black curtain covered in red rhinestones that shine in the moonlight.  
I sat Febee down by the fountain where we first met. "Stay here." I tell her, and silently pray that she would run away, I'd have to track her if her father was lying, but at least she would have a chance to get free.  
I slipped inside praying that I would catch the witch by surprise, and plunge a knife into her before she could attack me with another curse. I walk in on silent feet staying clear of the large shelves that hold up a large assortment of glass viles, and books. There is a scatter of animal bones, fur, and a large black iron cauldron in the middle of the room.  
"I was wondering if you'd show up." a horrifyingly familiar voice practically purrs in my ear, and I leap across the room, as the darkness parts to reveal the witch smiling at me, "Was the curse I placed on you not enough? Are you here to die in a more painful way? Because I can certainly make that happen."  
"I'm here to make you take this curse off me." I tell her, sounding much more confident than I am as I discreetly look around the room for anything to help me.  
"Oh? And what if I don't want to take the curse off of you?" she asks with a whine, and a false pout.  
"I'm not giving you a choice." I say, lunging at her with my knives drawn.  
She spins away and delivers a swift kick to my gut, while I try slashing her face in half. The knife slides along her neck, and arm instead, drawing out a low hiss before she racks her nails along my side. We tumble into the shelves, sending books, and viles crashing to the floor, some breaking open, and others landing and rolling under our feet. It's pure luck that she steps on a rolling vile as I lunge toward her again, knocking her back, and sending the air from her lungs. I manage a kick to her stomach, and another to her ribs, before throwing her down, and sitting on her, quickly pinning her arms to her sides, not with my legs, but with a knife through each of her palms. Her ear piercing screams manage to shatter more glass, and possibly my ear drums as she wriggles beneath me in a desperate attempt to get free. I pull out a third knife, and aim for her throat.  
"WAIT, WAIT!! I CAN REMOVE THE CURSE!!"  
"I don't believe you." I tell her, and aim down as she bucks, causing the knife to pierce her chest.  
"NO! NO! STOP I BEG OF YOU!"  
She had the nerve to beg me after the way she put a curse on me. After she attacked me. I can see the bones of children in the corner, and she had the nerve to beg, ME? With anger bubbling up in me I plunged the knife down again and again, and again. I relished her screams of agony, and the pain and tears in her eyes. I wanted revenge on this tormentor… and it was such sweet revenge. Beneath me the witch began losing her strength, her face paling, and her eyes glazing over. I finally stopped, and sat back. Her chest was nothing but loose skin, and a large uneven hole, blood splattered across her face, the ceiling, the walls, and the ground. Blood was running in rivers off of her, and into a large pool beneath her.  
"M-monster." she gasped out, and then laid still.  
Cold washed over me. Not the cold of death, though it hung in the air, but the cold of realization. I'd stabbed someone to death. Someone my lady didn't send me after… and I… enjoyed every minute of it. I felt sick. I got up as quickly as I was able, stumbling out of the curtain, and back to the main market. Febee sat just where I had left her, her eyes clearer than before, and she reached out to me as I stumbled toward her.  
"M-mister?" she studdered out, as I grabbed her by the shoulders, and put the bloody knife to her throat.  
"I-" I started, and then choked off before starting again, "I'm sorry." I tell her, but I can't bring myself to pull the knife across her flesh. The sick feeling in my stomach has twisted tighter at the sight of her big round eyes looking up at me.  
".... Please," she whispered, "I don't want to die."  
"I-... I don't have a choice." I tell her, but her skin under my hand feels feverishly warm, and I frantically try to think why that might be. Is someone going to save her? Where are they?  
"Why?" she asks.  
"B-because Lady Amethyst owns me, and I must obey her. Your father stole from her, so she ordered me to kill your whole family."  
"… but you don't want to kill me." she said, and I realized that my hand is now shaking.  
"No… I don't." I admit, and lower the knife, and the tight feeling in my chest dissipates once it reaches my side.  
"Are you letting me go?" she asks, staring at me with those bright blue eyes. The same look from earlier today, where we meet at this same fountain.  
"... I can't hurt you…"  
"... Thank you." she replies gently.  
"Why would you thank me? I killed your parents, you should hate me."  
"... I did hate you at first, but my parents weren't… very good people. Dad was actually cheating on mom with the witch, and mom's been ignoring me for years now, and only asks for me when she wants something from me. They did bad things to other people simply because they could… at least with you, you didn't have a choice." she said, motioning toward the bracelets on my wrists.  
"You should still be afraid of me." I tell her.  
"Maybe, but I wasn't scared of your white hair, or purple eyes this morning, and I'm not scared of you now, covered in blood."  
"You're definitely not like other aristocrats." I say back, "I suggest you get away from here, if my lady finds out I let you live she'll stop at nothing till you're hunted down."  
"How will you convince her I'm dead?" she asks, and I turn back to the witch's place.  
"I have an idea." I tell her, and pull out a stash of food from my bag, passing it to Febee, "Will you go to your Uncle?" I ask, not really wanting to let her go just yet.  
"No way, I hate him, I'm going to join the rebellion, so I can actually help people… you know make a difference."  
I couldn't help, but let out a laugh, "Good luck with that, this world is impossible to change." With that I turned toward the witch's place.  
"I hope we meet again one day… maybe I'll be able to free you then." I hear her say, before the crunch on gravel lets me know she's walking away.  
I don't look back, I simply follow my old blood trail back inside, and dig the witch's heart out of her chest. Then I place it in the bag with Evert's and his wife's. Hopefully that will fool my lady, and if it doesn't maybe it'll give Febee enough time to hide.


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank everyone who has read it so far. Feel free to leave me your feed back.

I passed through the gates of Derous as the first light of morning was hitting the sky. With my right leg still injured it would take longer getting back, but I was still ahead of schedule. With any luck I would still make it back in enough time that Lady Amethyst wouldn't be mad at me. The pain in my leg came back as the second sun hit the sky, and I sat down to apply more of the numbing cream. The travel was hard, but nothing I wasn't used to, just significantly slower than usual.  
As the third sun began to set I found a fine stick to act as my extra support, and had a steady journey all the way up until I hit the Grave Dunes. I could barely make out the subtle change in the sand's color through the dull white glow of the moon's light, but the second I crossed into the Grave Dunes, I knew it. I could feel the phantom hands as they wrapped around me, pulling me into such a smothering embrace, that I thought for sure I'd pass out.  
When I finally managed to get past the hands, the whispers started, the shadows moved, and my balance suddenly felt uncertain. I could do nothing more than carefully place one foot in front of the other, and pray I was heading in the right direction.  
As Mordoc's first light began to touch the sky turning it bright red, I felt a sense of relief, at least with the sun's rising the shadows would be gone. Or, at least they should have been, but instead I watched as they gained more definition, instead of unidentified blobs out of the corners of my eyes, they took the shape of people, sliding about like they were walking alongside me. Slipping over the dunes, and occasionally through the air, and around me until I thought for sure I was going to go mad. I forced my eyes upon the ground, and my mind upon my destination, and simply set my feet down one at a time. If I keep up this pace I would be out of the Grave Dunes in no time, and shortly after that back home. Back to Maggie.  
I was five days into the Grave Dunes, I was tired, shivering from what was probably a fever, and sweating bullets. I knew there was an infection in my leg. I hadn't cleaned it like I should, but my supplies were low, and water was far too scarce to waste. I knew this wasn't good, but I couldn't stop, I had to keep going, or I'd never make it home, I'd never see Maggie again. I had killed a witch, I could take on a little infection, or at least that's what I kept telling myself anytime I was tempted to sit down and rest.  
It seemed to take forever before I finally left the grabbing hands, and dark whispers of the Grave Dunes behind. Though, the shadows seemed to follow me even as I passed into the forest. Cleaning the wound was a little easier at the river, but that didn't slow down my fever, at all.  
I nearly got grabbed by a river maiden in my distraction, luckily I was just quick enough to chase her off with my knives. After that it took no time at all before I saw home on the horizon. But, instead of feeling happy, my heart sank. I know I should be relieved to be back home, but I only wanted to lay down, and sleep. Instead I would have to see my lady, and show her the hearts, and be rewarded if she so chose it. I passed the gate with no problem, and limped through town, my stick still providing support for me as I went from dusty cobblestone roads to my lady's pristine tiled floors. The edges of my vision blurred as I made my way to her office tapping lightly on the door.  
"ENTER!" Came the call, and I took a deep breath before pushing the door open to the inside.  
My lady sat behind her lavish desk, stacks of thick papers all around her. The look on her face was angry as she read over whatever was in her hands. Obviously she was not in a good mood.  
"I- I have returned my lady." I called out, my voice holding a light rasp.  
My lady looked up from beneath her thick lashes, and I felt the bracelets warm, and a smile appeared on her face.  
"Pet, your back early."  
"Yes, my lady, I couldn't wait to be home to you." I said smoothly, though the words tasted like acid in my mouth.  
"Show me what you brought me." she motioned, throwing the papers aside as I pulled the bag from my waist.  
I placed the bag of hearts on the table before my lady. She gave it a swift look, and reached inside, pulling out each heart one at a time, and lined them up in a row. If I didn't have a fever, I would have been tense, and worried because of how long she inspected her new prizes. The shadows of the room seemed to be drawing closer, and my head was feeling lighter.  
"Ahh, you took such care bringing me these lovely prizes." she cooed, but whatever else she added I couldn't hear as the world darkened around me.  
I awake on the floor with my lady screaming, "JULA," at the top of her lungs. The door slams open, and I hear running feet before my lady begins to hand out orders again, "Take my pet to the medical room, and then come back here, and cleaned up the mess he's made on my carpet, I have a meeting this afternoon, and I need it to be spotless before he arrives."  
"Right away, my lady." Comes the reply, and I feel hands pulling me out of the room.  
Even her gentle hands felt like fire on my skin, but I don't have the energy to cry out in pain. Instead I just lay there as a small slip of a girl carries me through the halls, and into the infirmary where Tiana begins barking orders. I can't make out much of what she's saying, but I hear the curse she spits out when my pants leg is pulled back.  
"Maggie, hold him down."  
"W-what on Hysteria happened to him." Maggie's familiar voice replies, and I can't help, but feel comfort in her presence.  
"Only the suns know, but I'm going to yell this boy into next Thitael when he wakes up."  
I tired to move, tried to speak, tried to let them know that it was ok. It was ok, because I had made my way back to them.  
"Shhh… Grim, it's ok, you're safe now, you're with us. Shhh… shhh, it's ok." Maggie spoke gently, her fingers softly stroking my hair. The gentle touch, and soft reassurance eased me into a deep sleep.  
Darkness claimed me, and I dreamed… I knew I was dreaming because no bracelets adorned my wrists, no cold magic held my own, and there wasn't a tower, or even a village in sight. I was free. Free as the wind. I dreamed of riding on the back of a desert wild dog. The same one I'd saved not to long ago. The same one who'd roamed with me over the sand dunes. I was happy, I answered to no one, and I didn't have to obey a single soul. Needless to say when I woke back up reality hit me like a slap to the face. The stark walls of the infirmary reminded me that I had been hurt. I had been hurt badly by a witch while trying to fulfill my lady's orders. And, I was also reminded that I was only a slave, I'd never be free. 

"Grim, you're awake." Maggie's voice called, and I turned to see her. True to her word she hadn't left my side, and I watched as a smile spread across her face, and tears gathered in her beautiful eyes.  
"H-how long have I been out?" I asked, my voice rough.  
"Almost three weeks." Maggie answers, grabbing a glass of water, and placing it against my lips, "You're very lucky to be alive. How in Hysteria did you end up so badly hurt?" she wiped away her tears, and sat back down in her chair.  
"I… I… was attacked by a witch." I admitted softly, not able to look her in the eye.  
"A WITCH!!?" The screech that filled the room had me flinching away for a second before small hands grabbed my shoulders, and I was forced to look Maggie in the face.  
"Grim, did you learn nothing from your encounter with Hiyahi? Were you even thinking?"  
"Obviously not." I replayed, falling back to sarcasm to starve off her panic… and mine.  
Suddenly the curtains around my bed shifted, and Tiana comes swaying in with her usual scowl in place.  
"You." she points at me, and I can swear I saw some of my life flash before my eyes as her anger flashes across her face, "Are very lucky to be alive right now young man." Tiana lifted the covers to look at my still bandaged leg.  
"So, you tell me every time I'm in here." I sass back.  
"Well, then I guess I'll be telling you again next time." Tiana barks back, "You're like a dust cat, and one of these days you're going to run out of lives." she warns.  
"I guess I should start keeping up with the number then. Do you think I'm on my fourth or fifth?" I asked, hoping to lighten up the room, and calm her anger.  
Her scowl only deepened. "Lady Amethyst is coming down today to see how you're doing." she informs me as she sets about rewrapping my leg.  
I wince as the long uneven gashes are exposed. They're still stitched up, and bright red with irritation, but Tiana is being careful as she rubs healing cream on to the worse of the gashes. The pain is dull, and I suppose the cream must have some kind of numbing effect, because it's not nearly as painful as I thought it would be. I then realized with a start that they were going to leave scars. I mean, I knew they would, but it hadn't really sunk in yet that I would be marked for the rest of my life. I may not even be able to walk without limping after this… but at least I wasn't dead.  
"You're finally awake." Comes my lady's familiar voice as she enters the room. Maggie and Tiana bow low after everyone's initial startled reactions, and then quickly finish with my leg, before disappearing out of the door. Maggie's eyes meet mine, and I can tell she doesn't want to leave, but a sharp tug from Tiana, and my bonded walks away, reluctance in every step.  
Once they're both gone my lady glides over to my bed, and sits down with a grace that is only matched by her cruelty. She looks me in the eyes, and slowly raises her hand to gently touch my face. I'm suddenly remembering the first time we met. The way she gently touched me as I sat with her in the carriage, back when I thought she was my salvation.  
"You did a good job on your last mission." she says, her praise was rare these days, and my heart skipped a beat, "Though, I do have a question."  
"Yes, my lady?"  
"How is it you've come back so badly injured?"  
"I-I was attacked, my lady."  
"I can guess that much, pet. I want to know by what."  
"A… a witch, my lady."  
"A witch?"  
"Yes, my lady, she was… difficult to deal with."  
"But you did deal with her, didn't You?"  
"Of course, my lady, she will pose no issue any more."  
"Oh? And why do you say that, pet?"  
"Because", I swallowed nervously, not sure what my lady would do with the information I was about to tell her, "Because I killed her, my lady." I desperately hoped that my lady would not connect the dead witch, and the third heart in the bag. If she suspected that I didn't kill the young daughter of Evert there would be hell to pay. If she ever figured out that I tired to trick her… I may as well resign myself to the netherworld, and eternal torment.  
"And, how did you do that, my pet. I seem to recall you having quite the difficulty the last time you came across a witch." she said with ease, and a hint of disbelief.  
"I managed to surprise her, and I was able to stab her through the heart." I lied easily, knowing that if my lady were to think of looking for the witch's heart among her prizes she would be looking for one with damage to it.  
"Hmm." My lady hummed in response, as her nails gently stroked along my neck. I nearly held my breath as my lady continued to look me over, probably trying to figure out if I lied. But, eventually my lady gave me a tiny grin, and leaned in to kiss me on my deeply chapped lips, "Get well soon, pet, I have many more missions for you." 

The gleam in my lady's eyes would follow me into my nightmares for years to come, and it was a sure sign that things were about to become worse for me and my own… a lot worse. It was the gleam that she had when a new thing caught her interest, or when she broke in a new toy. It was the gleam that many people saw before their end.  
It took a couple more weeks before the stitches could be removed from my leg, and I could begin walking again. But, I still rarely left my lady's bed for many more months after I had healed. Maggie, and Tiana were a constant in my life, saving both my sanity, and my leg as they worked over the next few months. When I was fully healed I could walk without a limp, but the scars would forever remain. Scars on the body were easy for me to deal with, but the scars on my soul are what hurt the most. As the old year faded out, and the new year rang in, I had no idea that I would be gathering more scars than ever before, both inside and out. But, in the coming time I would also learn why Lady Amethyst bought me all those years ago, and the knowledge of it would make me realize that I truly am what everyone had always thought.  
That I really am, a.…….. Monster.


	17. Chapter 16

A loud boom of thunder woke me from a deep sleep. I looked around the dark room, the windows shaking with the harsh wind of the sandstorm that was raging through Roseville. A loud rattling sound that echoes around the room, and a sudden flash of lightning outside threw dark shadows around the room, and my eyes easily spotted three formless black masses standing by the balcony doors. I jumped out of bed, and grabbed the long knife that was discarded on the floor along with my clothes. Slashing at the first form, only to realize there was nothing there. I stalled, and checked the room again.   
Nothing. No one. I was alone, but for my lady who was roused from her sleep.   
"Hmm, pet? What's wrong?" her drowsy voice asked, and I checked the room one last time before relaxing my shoulders.   
"Nothing, my lady, only a bad dream." I answered, before dropping the knife back onto the floor.   
A little over a year ago, I had been warming my lady's bed, like always, when an assassin made his way into the bedroom. Needless to say he made it no farther than that. Still ever since then I always wake in alarm at the slightest noise in my lady's main chamber.   
"Come back to bed then, come sleep." she beckoned, compelling me to her with her pale arms open in invitation. I let her pull me back to her underneath the covers, and into her warm skin.   
I knew from experience that I wouldn't be getting to sleep again, and instead curled up against my lady as I continued to scan the room. The shadowy figures still danced around the room, and their half faded forms shifted about. The sight was a familiar one for the past two years. Ever since killing the witch in Derous things had been… strange.   
It started after I was walking again, just a few shadows that didn't move like the rest, or even a cold chill that passed over me when I was alone. At first I thought it was another curse the witch put on me, a final defiance if you will. But, now I think I'm just going insane. No one else can see them, or sense them, and they grow more solid, and focused with every mission I complete. I have no idea what they are, or why they follow me around, but it's become more and more disconcerting over the past two years.   
I put the thought of them out of my mind, and instead turned to face the window, then I laid there for the rest of the night, listening to the sounds of the sandstorm raging. 

By the time the storm ended, Orian, the second sun was climbing into the sky. The shadowy figures were still standing in front of the balcony doors, rippling and blurring in and out of view. They didn't move, they didn't make a sound… they creeped me out. I shivered under the covers as cold clung to my skin.   
An ever present cold hung in the air as the shadow figures faded once more from view. But, I knew they'd be back, they always came back in a few hours, or less, they never stayed gone for long, and sometimes they didn't leave at all. I've learned over time not to react to them… or at least I try not to, but the shadows tend to increase the more people I'm around, and I'm unable to tell what's real, and what's not. It's frustrating at the best of times, and down right deadly at the worst.   
I sit up in the bed as a little warmth returns to my skin, and I hold my breath to see if the shadows will come back into view. A soft knock at the door distracts me, and I turn to the door to see Maggie coming into the room. The figures remain gone though, so I let out a heavy sign, before flopping back down in the bed. My movement causes my lady to wake with a small noise of discontent, but she doesn't make any more noises after that. Maggie gives me a sheepish smile before disappearing into my lady's massive closet. I don't return the smile, and instead turn away from where she is picking out my lady's outfit for the day.   
During the past two years things had only gotten worse for me, and by extension for Maggie as well. Since killing the witch in Derous my lady has kept me closer than ever before. I've only been given missions within Roseville, and Rose Estate, typically killing or torturing some poor soul. When I'm not fulfilling my lady's wishes I am constantly at her side, or more recently in her bed.   
This, of course, has put an even bigger strain on mine, and Maggie's relationship, and I've been keeping my distance to try and keep her safe. Not just from the mistress's jealous hands, but from my own as well. I've been easy to get angry lately, it's easy to say, and do hurtful things. Things that I don't truly mean to say, or do, but it happens anyways. I've seen how it affects her, so I try to stay away, try to keep the damage I do to her at a minimum… even if it hurts me inside to do so.   
It seems like the more black shadows I see the more paranoid I get, and the more paranoid I get the more frustrated I get. Not to mention the more time I spend with the mistress the less sleep I get. This means I get angry easily, and even though I know Maggie's trying to help, I still get short tempered with her, when she tries to drag me to the medical wing, when the only thing I want to do is sleep. It's not that I don't love, and appreciate her, she's my bonded, but my temper has become so short that the last time Maggie physically woke me from a nap I threw her nearly across the room in my startled waking.   
Even with my missions being close to home they have still become more dangerous, and I've been hurt pretty badly over the last two years, with plenty more scars to show for it. However, I've learned from my mistakes, and though I make them less often now I still come back with injuries. Injuries that leave horrible wounds, that cause Maggie to fret, and worry, which in turn causes me to be snappish, and the cycle only continues.  
Sometimes I see pity flash in Maggie's eyes, and I hate it. But, I don't hate it enough to leave her at the mistress's mercy. Even six years after bringing Maggie back to Roseville my lady still holds the redheads safety over my head, and I can't bring myself to stop caring about the girl I saw on the floor all those years ago. I can't let go of my first bonded, no matter how much it may help us in the long run.   
My thoughts were interrupted as Maggie came out of the closet holding a long red dress, the silk fabric covered with detailed gold embroidery, the bodice, neck and hemline trimmed with black fur. Maggie tires to make eye contact with me, but the mistress pulls my head down, and my lips crash into hers in a fierce kiss. When she's had her fill of me, my lady throws off the covers, and makes her way across the room. Maggie quickly helped the mistress get ready, first getting her in the extravagant dress, and then brushing out her hair before fixing it into an elaborate style. When she picked up the powders and glosses for the makeup, I turned my head to look out the window adjacent from the bed.   
It didn't take much longer before my lady was done, and she walked to the mirror across the room. As she posed in front of a great length of it, I caught my own reflection… I looked horrible. Bags under my eyes, and a grumpy expression on my face. My hair wasn't greasy, but it was matted, and in disarray. I wondered if I even got an hour of sleep last night… probably not. It seemed like I got less and less sleep lately   
"Grim!" I heard my lady's voice snap at me, "Are you listening to me?" she demanded, I didn't even have the energy to be worried about my lady's temper.   
"I'm sorry my lady, I was just so distracted by your beauty." I said, and saw my lady's face soften, flattery was always the answer, I had learned.   
"I was going to take you with me today." she said, coming close enough to lay a hand on my cheek, "Hmm… but it would seem that you need more sleep." she continued her thumb sliding along the darkness under my eyes.   
"I'll call on you later, I believe." she said, her eyes looking into mine.   
"Y-yes, my lady." I answered, and she smiled and left the room, leaving me and Maggie surrounded by silence in her wake.   
It was rare that my lady ever let me continue to sleep without her, but I sent a quick thanks to the gods that I didn't have to shadow her, and obey whatever whims she had today.   
The silence that fell on the room since my lady left hung over me and Maggie like a blanket. Things had been very tense between the two of us, especially since I turned sixteen, and found that holding her close was far more enjoyable than anything my lady ever did to me.   
"How do you feel this morning?" Maggie asked, finally breaking the silence.   
"I'm fine," I tell her, still unable to look at her in the eyes, "ummm… how are you doing?" I ask back.   
"I'm good." She replied, and we lapsed again into silence. This awkward situation has been happening more and more often lately. I know she's trying not to set off my temper, and I'm trying to distance myself from her, but this? I hate it.   
I wish we could have the easy conversations we used to. Where Maggie would tell me about her life before, of her mother's songs, and her little brother's antics. Where I would tell her of the good things on my missions, like the flower elves, and the festivals that I've come across. Sometimes I'd even managed to bring her back a nic-nac of some sort. But, now… that's long gone. Now she stays quiet most times, she asks the same questions, and she even seems afraid of me, and I hate it!   
"I'm going to clean the room," Maggie tells me, "I'll be quiet ok, you should try and get some more rest." She says gently, and I want to pull her close to my side, and lay her down with me, but I don't, instead I mumble my agreement. Then I lay back down and close my eyes, listening closely to the sounds of Maggie's gentle cleaning around the room. The sounds of her polishing, and dusting lulls me to sleep.   
When I wake up Maggie is long gone, and the three suns are high in the sky. I don't particularly feel well rested, but I don't feel any more tired than usual either. I get out of the bed, and get dressed in a fresh pair of clothing that Maggie must have left out for me, then headed for the door. I head down the numerous hallways, and eventually enter the kitchen, the cook doesn't usually mind me swiping a piece of bread every now and then, as long as I stay away from any of the fancy dishes. Today the cooks are bustling about, looking more frazzled than usual. It's definitely busier than normal today.   
"What's going on?" I ask one of the cooks who's stirring something on the stove. I don't know his name, but I do recognize him as one of the main gossip mongers from the kitchens.   
"The mistress is having a dinner party tonight, short notice of course, but what can you do? She's a high class woman with high class taste, and high class friends." He answers back continuing on with only a little hum as prompting, "She gave us a big menu, all the favorites of course, and then extra."   
"Hmm… like what?" I ask, curiously.   
"Well, there's longtom pudding for Baylock Radcliff, sweet scurry pie for Lucien Gold, allbog meat hash, and suvell wine for Elvira Clementine. Not to mention the lesser known merchants she invited." The cook rambles on going over the menu, and what food is for what group. But, I stopped paying attention, my stomach drops a bit as I realize I'm going to be required to attend. My lady is going to show me off as her favorite pet. I'm going to have to smile as they insult me to my face, and dance with any man or woman she chooses. I'm going to have to spin lies about how pretty this lady is, or how noble that man is, and swallow any pride, or unease I have. Just the thought makes me lose my appetite.   
"Oh, I left you some food over there." The cook says, pointing to the counter where a plate has been covered with a glass dome, "You look like you could use a good meal, now get out of here, you're distracting me from my work."   
With that I take the food, and head to the massive rose garden at the back of the estate. The garden is usually a place I can disappear to for a little peace, and quiet, but today the garden slaves are running around with frantic faces as they try to fix the damage from the sandstorm last night. Probably trying to get everything ready before my lady pitches a fit at the disarray before her guests arrive.   
I managed to eat just about half my breakfast when a familiar maid comes running into the garden with a frantic expression. She stops a few feet in front of me short of breath, and sputtering, "My… lady… n-needs… you. Now!"   
I don't bother to talk to her before I scarf down the rest of my food, and set a quick walking pace towards my lady's office. I pass by more frantic maids, and servants, all of which are going at their own quick pace, some even out right running. This dinner party must be really short notice to cause such chaos. The door to my lady's office is already open when I get there, so I walk in announcing myself by saying, "You summoned me, my lady?" as I enter.   
My lady turns toward me from the large window that she's standing in front of, throwing most of her face into shadows. It makes her expression hard to figure out as she greets me with, "I'm sure you've found out by now, dear pet, but I'm throwing a dinner party tonight. Plenty of important people will be there, and I have a few things I need to accomplish with, hmmm… certain people."   
"Yes, my lady, I've seen everyone preparing." I answer.   
"You are going to join me as my bodyguard." She orders, as she comes around the desk stopping in front of me to place her hand on my cheek, "You will have to dress better, and of course wear shoes." She adds, and we both take a moment to look down at my bare feet.   
I wiggle my toes under the scrutiny. I'm not thrilled about the idea of wearing shoes, they're extremely restrictive, and don't allow for fast running, often far too slick against the floor, and the desert sand.   
"You won't need to dress up in a suit, or anything extremely fancy, but I do expect a presentable front. Hmmm…" My lady hums to herself, and takes a step back looking over my form with a contemplative frown, "I'll take care of what you'll wear, but I want you clean. You're covered in dust. Go to the bathing chambers." With that she waves a dismissive hand as to shoo me away.   
"Yes, my lady." I say with a bow, and turn to walk away.   
"Oh, and pet." She calls before I exit the office.   
"Yes, my lady?"   
"Don't go wandering about outside for the rest of the day."   
"Of course, Mistress." I agree and finally leave.   
I head down the hallway toward the bathing chamber, and heave a heavy sigh. I'm not looking forward to tonight. I know exactly why she wants me to go, and it's not to be her bodyguard. She wants to show off her great prize. Halfway down to the baths I see Maggie walking toward me. She had a look on her face, one I'd become very familiar with in the last few years. I'd now dubbed it her nagging face.   
Of course the first thing she asks is, "Are you going to the dinner party?"   
"Yes, it's not like I have a choice. When Mistress says jump, I jump, that's the way it goes." I tell her, she knows this already, it's not the first time I've said it.   
"I know Grim, I just worry about you. There are so many unspoken rules at these events, and one mistake is all it takes." She said, wringing her hands nervously.   
"I've been to these events before Maggie, you've even been there serving, remember." I remind her, I don't know why she's started making such a fuss about this. She knows how things work here, they didn't change over night.   
"Yes, you're right, but this time it's a dinner party, and with all the aristocrats and merchants coming you'll be under even more scrutiny. Do you know all the edicate rules about eating?" She adds, her eyes unable to meet mine. I know she's worried, I get that. But this? This questioning and pestering? It isn't helping.   
"Yes, I was taught them the first year I came here." I tell her before trying to step around her to get to the baths.   
"If you make one mistake, Lady Amethyst is going to hurt you." She continues, turning to walk with me down the hall. If anyone finds out she's skimping on her duties she's the one that's going to be in trouble. I almost tell her so before the next words out of her mouth cut me off.   
"I bet that's what she wants. You screwing up, and being in trouble. She wants to hurt you Grim." Maggie sounds almost frantic as she grabs my arm. But, I've already stopped. I don't know what look is on my face, but it can't be a nice one, because Maggie flinches back from me as if she's been struck.   
"Maggie, you can't say things like that. Not here, not in the heart of her territory, and certainly not me." I grab Maggie by the shoulders, and shove both of us behind a vase that's taller, and wider than three fully grown men, so we can confront each other in relative privacy.   
"Look, Maggie, I was trained well, I know what to do, I've lived through this before. And besides, the mistress would never set me up to fail." I tell her, with only a little dought in my heart. I can't believe that of the woman who saved me from hell all those years ago. I can't believe that of the woman who let me keep Maggie. I can't believe that… or I might not stay sane.   
But, Maggie doesn't seem to have heard me at all, and continues right where she left off, "I think it's a set up, Grim. You need to be careful." Her eyes are wide and pleading, but I can only snarl back.   
"Why do you have to do this?" I practically demand of her.   
"D-do what Grim?" She asks, and I know she's scared, because I'm practically looming over her, and I'm yelling in her face, but this can't go on. Me questioning my lady will not end well for either of us, why can't she see that?   
"You always think that my lady had some backhanded plan to harm me. First it was all the extra missions, then it was the time I spent in her bed, now it's the blasted dinner party? You act like she's only trying to set me up to fail!" I can't help my voice raising higher as I take out my frustration.   
"Because she does, Grim!" Maggie yells back, "She sends you on life threatening missions, doesn't let you sleep, and she's just waiting for you to stumble. I don't know why you can't see that!"   
I can't see that, or the bracelets that adorn my wrist will stop being protection, and start being chains. The bed I share with my lady will bring only suffering, and the trust I have for her will be betrayed. But, I don't tell Maggie these things, instead I simply push her away, as lightly as I'm able to in my frustration and anger.   
"I don't have time for this, and you should mind your own business." I say, and pick up the pace as I hurry away. Behind me I can hear Maggie screaming my name, trying to follow, but I ignore it all.   
When I'm finally far enough down the hallway, with no servants in sight, I slam my fist into the wall, and let out a sharp growl. When I pull my hand away to see blood dripping from the knuckles. My lady won't be happy about this.


	18. Chapter 17

I gave a deep sigh, and finally made my way into the baths, there were only a few people there, probably because the rest of them were hustling about for the party. Grabbing a sponge, and a soap block I scrubbed myself as clean as I could before entering the rock pool, and settled in for a long soak. I could feel myself slowly relaxing as the warm water washed away my worries.   
I was on the verge of going to sleep, when a maid tentatively walked over to me, she didn't raise her head as she informed me that Lady Amethyst was once again calling for me. I let out a sigh, and the maid scurried off before I could even get a glance at her. Reluctantly I climbed out of the warm water, wrapping only a towel around me as I headed to my lady's room.   
She would have my clothes with her. The walk down the hall to my lady's room felt far shorter than it actually is, dread pooled in my stomach as I finally found myself outside of her door. There was no telling what she would have me wearing tonight, it could be anything from a collar, to an elaborate suit. Neither were an appealing option. I took a deep breath to center myself, and walked in. I didn't see my lady anywhere in the main room, but heard shuffling coming from the closet.   
"Pet? Is that you?" My lady's voice drifts from the area.   
"Yes, my lady." I answer, and walk toward the closet. The entrance is decorated in gold leaf with rubies dancing up the arch way. It was just as opulent within the opening. My lady was standing in front of five large mirrors arranged to show every angle of her body. Around her there was a large assortment of long flashy gowns. Each one held by a nervous looking maid.   
The mistress turned to me with an unhappy smile, "I just can't seem to decide what to wear", She tells me, and then with a hum turns back to the dress.   
"Perhaps you should pick my pet. Which one do you think I would look best in?" She asks, and I felt a flash of panic before smoothing it and replying.   
"You'd look good in anything, my lady, I think any dress you choose will be absolutely stunning." It made my lady smile at me, but I could tell I wasn't out of the fire yet.   
"You're very sweet dear, but which one would you like to see me in?" She asks, giving a little purr, and then comes over to me, her silky undergarments sliding against my own bare skin.   
I looked around at the dresses and picked the shiniest one.   
"I… think that one would be perfect for you my lady." I answer, pointing at a deep red velvet gown that was detailed with gold thread, and beading, the entire bodice was covered with an intricate design. The dress had folds of fabric that were edged with a similar pattern. It was only after I pointed it out that I realized the dress was being held up by two maids instead of one, the second maid was hidden by the extra fabric. I guess the beads were made of real gold… the dress must be heavy.   
"Oh. What a lovely choice." She says, and motions the two small women forward, and the others begin putting the extra dresses back in their displays.   
"Maggie will be here in a minute, with the clothes I picked out for you." My lady tells me as she glides past me out of the closet the two maids following her.   
As I exited the closet a knock came at the door, after my lady granted entry, Maggie came in her arms full of clothes. She lays the clothes down on a chair, and then walks back out before bringing in several pairs of shoes. I couldn't help the grimace as she set them up by the chair. I tried not to see the concerned look in Maggie's eyes as she stepped back into the corner.   
I turned away from her, and looked to the assortment of shirts, and pants, that were laid out. Thankfully most of the colors here are dark, and I saw at least two that had the same dark red velvet color as my lady's dress. I stare at them for a moment before turning back to my lady.   
"Did you wish me to pick my own outfit, my lady?" I ask out of habit, but I know that this is only an illusion of a choice, the final decision will ultimately be my lady's… as it always is.   
My lady turns to scrutinize me, and doesn't bother to answer before she points out a pair of black pants with a soft texture, she gives them a hum of approval before moving on to the shirts. She passed by the black shirt I was looking at, and instead grabbed a dark red shirt that also had gold trim around the sleeves, and the bottom hemline. Unfortunately the shirt was also long sleeved, I suppose my lady was trying to cover some of my… less than desirable scars.   
My lady hummed in approval at her selection before looking at the shoes. She reaches out to pick up a pair of shiney, black leather dress shoes with gold buckles.   
"And you'll wear these." She commands then adds, "Now get dressed, and we'll figure out what to do with that hair of yours."   
I reach out to take the shoes from my lady's hands, and notice the split skin on the knuckles of my right hand, and I knew my lady had seen it too. She grabs my hand in a near punishing grip with her soft hands. "What is this? What did you do to your hand?"   
"I… may have gotten… um, a bit angry earlier." I answer slowly, not wanting to admit the reason I had punched a wall.   
"Boys, I have never understood why they find the need to hit things when they're frustrated." She said with a hefty sigh, "I do hope you will behave tonight." She adds, but the look in her eyes said there would be pain if I did not.   
"I'm sorry, my lady." I said, lowering my eyes, "I promise I'll behave."   
I disappear into the bathroom, as my lady turns back to the maids barking orders, Maggie joins them in fluttering around my lady. I dropped the towel around my waist to the floor, and looked at the nice new clothes in my arms. My old clothes were so worn out, and full of holes, it'd be nice to put on something new for a change, even if they aren't going to be comfortable to wear. I slipped into the nice brand new clothes for this evening. The dark pants slid on easy enough, but I was very grateful for the belt as they were a little too large, and slipped down my hips a little too easily.   
The shirt had a small silk layer on the inside that was soft against my skin, the tiny buttons were hard to fix up, but it gave me a very slimming look. The shoes of course were the hardest part, I despised them, and the small silk soaks that came with them. But, I did slip them both on begrudgingly, before looking in the mirror. I don't care for the way these clothes make me look, the dark red shirt, while it did contrast nicely with my dark tan skin, made me feel less like myself. I didn't look like me. I feel like a fake dressed up in such fancy clothes.   
I didn't like it, and I dreaded going back into the room, knowing that my lady was only going to change my appearance more. With a deep shaky breath I make my way back to my lady.   
"Oh, how handsome you look, pet." My lady says from her seat at the vanity. Maggie is fixing her hair, while the other two are finishing up her nails, "Come closer, let's try doing something about that hair of yours. Perhaps we'll pull it out of your face."   
She motions Maggie over to me once I sit on a stool not far from her. Maggie starts to gently brush my hair, but where once this activity would have been relaxing, if it were just the two of us, was now nerve racking under my lady's watchful stare, and I remained stiff and alert the whole time.   
My lady had Maggie add a braid on each side, before pulling my hair into a high tail, and tied it in place with a gold ribbon, not placing a bow at the top, but leaving the long ribbon to flow down my back to highlight the clean white of my hair.   
"There, that pulls everything together nicely." My lady purrs, and the look in her eyes tells me she would rather get me out of my clothes instead of keeping me in them.   
When my lady stands she drags the two of us over to the mirrors, and a smug look crosses her face. "Perfect, my dear pet, we are well matched this evening." She spends a few minutes adjusting minor details, and fawning over the way we look. I kind of wish she would stop, but I realized once she did we would be on our way to the party. Nonetheless, she eventually does stop…  
"Now, let's go greet our guests." 

All of the guests were in the grand foyer when my Lady Amethyst descended the extravagantly curved staircase. She gives a small speech as a greeting, but I don't pay attention to the words. Instead I start looking around the room. Trying to see who I should avoid, and where the best hiding spots are. I followed behind my lady, and tried to stay behind her out of sight. That was not hard to do with the large amount of fabric her dress was made out of, and thankfully the gold beading created a nice distraction for me.   
Only three of the guests caught my eye, one an older man with an angry scowl, he wasn't particularly tall, but was rather hefty around the middle, and beside him, an older woman. The man with the angry scowl was Baylock Radcliff, I had met the man once before, and absolutely despised him. The lady next to him was Elvira Clementine, she was a cruel woman that was known well by the lower class for her bad temper, and mass graves. Her brown eyes were a similar match in color to Radcliff's, but her eyes weren't blank, instead they were filled with disgust. She looked sickly, but I was pretty sure it was all an act to seem fragile.   
A crowd in the corner drew my eye, and I saw Lucien Gold in the middle of them. The man the highest aristocrat that was invited, he was also the youngest, and with his blue-gray eyes, and light blonde hair he easily drew a crowd. And the way my lady's eyes lit up when she saw him… he was very… handsome. But, I'd learned long ago that looks meant nothing, my lady looked like an angel, and she may have saved me from hell, but she created a new one as well.   
"Fashionably late as always, Rose." Lucien says, when she approaches, his voice is full of amusement, and my lady returns his smile.   
"You know me Lucien, always making a statement, but what have I told you about calling me by my first name, hmmm?"   
"Not to, of course, but when have I ever listened?"   
"Never of course."   
I tried my best to stay hidden behind my lady, but Elvira noticed me, and I could see a glint in her eyes as she spoke to draw attention to me.   
"So, your little pet can clean up." She says in her gravelly voice, "I guess it's a good thing to know that even the foulest of beasts can be tamed." The smile she aimed my way was anything but friendly.   
I stiffened as I came under the scrutiny of the aristocrats. This would be happening all night… I was never going to get used to this.   
"Yes, he does clean up very well. He's quite handsome isn't he?" My lady says, pulling me beside her, and further under their gazes.   
"He is certainly… something." Baylock says, his eyes wandering over me, and I can feel the crowd that was around Lucien waiting for his next words, everyone knows they will not be kind.   
I didn't flinch when he used his cane to lift my chin, but it was nearly impossible to keep my face as blank as possible when he looked me in the eyes.   
"But, nothing can hide the fact that he's of tainted blood." He moves his cane to flick at a lock of my hair, "After all you cannot turn a Urhan stone into a dazzling jewel no matter how pretty you dress it up."   
That bit cut a little bit deeper, it's not like I wanted to dress up, it's not like I wanted to be here in the first place, they act like I'm trying to be one of them. I hate it. I hate what they think of me, I hate what they do to me. But, I hate myself more for letting it happen. I hate that I can't fight back.   
Baylock must have seen the hatred in my eyes, because his smirk grew wider before he finally stepped away from me.   
"I'm not sure if he's a Urhan stone, he's certainly pretty enough to be a jewel. I'm sure he would make a nice bed slave, well… if he wasn't a Reaper. I'm not quite sure if I could stomach touching such filth." Lucien hums in disappointment, and what might have been amusement.   
I return my eyes to the floor, and clench my fists behind my back, it will do no good to react to their taunts. I drown out their following words, and try to calm my breathing, not that it does much good.   
Lady Amethyst finally holds her arm out to me, and I obediently take my place behind her, like the obedient eye candy I am. She stears us toward the dining room, and I let out a breath when we leave, but quickly suck it back in a second later when I realized Elvira is joining us. Thankfully the conversation drifts off to talk about business, and we enter the dining room without incident. I pull out a chair for my lady, and then Elvira, though I am loathed to do so. My lady doesn't look at me, but she does wave a hand to the seat on her left, indicating for me to sit down.   
Others join us later, including Lucien Gold, and Baylock, I bite my tongue to keep from saying anything. I tune back into the conversation, and realize they are talking about trading slaves with each other. The first course began arriving, and I resolved to keep my head down, and my mouth shut incase Elvira got any ideas to try and trade for me.   
I wait to eat until the ladies start, and then pick up my fork. The conversation starts again, and I try to let the talk wash over me, but it becomes harder when Elvira brings me back up, and the cruel remarks continue. My anger only grew.   
We were on the third course when I see Maggie in the corner of my eye. My stomach drops when I realize she's headed our way. Unease washes over me as she begins serving the table, and I can't explain the feeling of doom until I see Lucien's eyes land on my bonded.   
"Well, now aren't you a pretty thing." He says, as she places his food down. Worry grips me as I see the way he looks Maggie over from head to toe, "What's your name pretty thing?" He asks, and Maggie's eyes go wide as she looks from him to my lady, and then gives a fleeting glance in my direction. I can only tilt my head back to the kitchen, silently telling her to head back to safety.   
My lady, however, has different plans for the fair skinned redhead.   
"That would be Maggie, she's been quite a good little thing for me." My lady says, and I can see the fear grow in Maggie's eyes as Lucien pulls her straight into his lap. Several of the women at our table are looking quite unhappy that his attention is now solely on Maggie, and I can't help but agree with them. He has no business touching her, though for entirely different reasons.   
"Say, dear Rose, how would you like a couple of Yokana Jewels?" He asks, not taking his eyes off of Maggie as he pulls his fingers through her bright red hair.   
Maggie merely looks at her lap, and doesn't fight him. I can see her trembling fingers as she clenches them in her lap.   
"Oh? And, how would I get these jewels?" She asks, her lips spreading into a gleeful grin as Lucien replies.   
"Let me have the pretty thing for the rest of the night, and they're yours." He answers, and I can't help the way my head jerks up at that. Of course the others at the table notice, but before they can say anything my lady asks,   
"Just the night? You don't want to buy her from me, Lucien? You seem quite fascinated with her, I would think you would want to keep her." My heart drops at the words, and I can see tears coming to her eyes.   
"I'll have my fill of her in a night, there's no need to keep a ruined item after all." He answers, and I feel my bracelets heat up in warning as Lady Amethyst's hand came to rest on my own. Lucien Gold looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and I wanted to yell at him when he smirked, and nudged his nose at Maggie's ear.   
I held my temper, and my tongue as Maggie's eyes filled with tears, and tried not to yell at the aristocrat, nothing good would come of it. I was so worried about Maggie that when the conversation began again I barely even noticed. But, when Lucien's hand wandered up Maggie's skirt I snapped.   
I slammed my hands down on the table, GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!!" I yelled, and then fell screaming as the heat in my wrists skyrocketed.   
I hadn't felt this pain in a long time, the sharp fire that raced within me was so intense, and so unexpected I saw black slide into my vision. And everything.   
Went.   
Dark.


	19. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning!

I woke up in a cell, something that was familiar, and always unnerving. I sat up realizing that I was wearing not a stitch of clothing, and curled into a corner waiting for the punishment to come. Not long after I woke up, two large men came into the cell, and strung me up with chains, and as much as I want to fight it I know that it will only make the punishment worse. The heat on my wrists is just burning enough for me to know how displeased my lady is.   
I was left on my own again, until my arms ached, and my legs grew tired. My eyes are beginning to close, and I'm drifting in and out of sleep when the doors bang open for a second time.   
"How dare you embarrass me like that!" My lady storms in yelling loudly, "And, in front of my business associates!!"   
She marches towards me, her left hand raises, and swings down to strike my face.   
"At my own PARTY!!" another slap rings across my face, and I make a pained noise as her nails rack across my cheek, and I feel the warmth of blood as I'm swung backwards on impact.   
"I could have you beaten, or perhaps whipped." She pounders out loud, she walks around me sliding her nails around my sides, and over my back, "but, I won't be satisfied with only watching you bleed." Her hand weaved into my hair, and yanked it back, and I grunted as my shoulders twinged.   
"I want to hear your screams, I want to see you fall apart before me, I want everything from you, dear pet of mine. And I will have it!" She declared in my ear, and then motioned toward the door.   
I couldn't see what was going on with her hand yanking my head back, but I can hear the scrapping of what might be a chair, and at least two other people entering the room. My lady runs her hand over my chest, and down my stomach going further still until her fingers scrape against the most sensitive parts of me. Dread fills me as I realize just what my punishment is going to be. When my lady is satisfied with petting me, she lets my head go, and roughly shoves it forward. A chair has indeed been dragged into the room. On either side stands two women, both with their faces covered, and dark clothing barely covering the essentials. The taller of the two steps forward, and an open vile is shoved under my nose, the sickly sweet smell of Alani aphrodisiac fills my senses.   
The next few hours are filled with pain, pleasure, and my lady's orders. When it was finally over I was bleeding, and aching, tears streaming down my face from both frustration and pain. I sucked in a breath as the chains were released, and I fell to the ground. My nose hit the floor with a crack, and I was left gasping through my mouth.   
I blacked out.   
When I woke again I was being dragged along the familiar hallway to my lady's room. I closed my eyes, and with a heavy sigh I realized that my night was far from over.   
I was lifted, and placed on the edge of the bed, and then the guards left the room.   
"Unzip me." My lady commands, and I fumbled with my numb fingers until the tiny zipper moves down. Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight as she turned to face me. She pushed me further onto the bed before climbing on top of me. The gentleness of her kisses was at complete contrast to the bracelets growing hot on my wrists. I could feel my lady's lust above me, and the pain of my shredded back below me. The rest of the night was filled with moans, and mingled breaths. 

The first rays of Mordoc were coming into the room when I finally awakened. My lady was on top of me, her hips were moving, and I could do nothing but lay there. I can feel her dark alchemy flow through me as my lady draws symbols on my chest in my own blood, and suddenly I am nothing more than a passenger in my own body as she commands me around. I know from experience that this will not last more than half an hour, and yet it never fails to feel like an eternity.   
The ritual isn't used often, mainly because it doesn't last long, and both participants feel the backlash… the victim far more than the caster.  
When it is done, half an hour… an eternity later, my stomach rebels as it always does, and black goo bubbles from my lips, and onto the red carpeted floor. I hear my lady make a noise of disgust, but then my ears are ringing, and my world is spinning, and up seems down.   
Jumbled words, and haunted screams filled my head, and the shadows come to life for me. When the madness finally bleeds away I wake in the infirmary with Tiana leaning over me.   
"You woke up just in time." She says, though a frown marks her face far more than usual.   
"H-rek." I try to speak, but my throat feels raw, and my tongue is too heavy.   
A glass of something that smells like citrus, and honey is shoved into my hand, and then slowly to my mouth as Tiana continues.   
"Lady Amethyst is on her way down, the tea has Helta herbs, and Geinsi honey." Tiana says gruffly, before walking away. I'm not surprised by her rough manner, she's never been the gentle sort. But, the fact that she gave me Helta herb, a plant known for the way it boosts energy, and blocks out pain, a plant normally used on the battlefield only makes me uneasy. Something is about to happen, and Tiana knows I will need energy for it.   
The sudden roll of my stomach makes it hard to finish the tea before my lady swopes in, in a flutter of silk and lace. Her low cut gown showing off her generous chest, and flattering every curve. Then I see the look on her face… and I know I'm going to hate whatever is coming next.   
The tea kicks in just as my lady orders me from the hospital bed, and I'm soon following her out of the door at a slow pace with a limp in my step. My lady doesn't seem to mind that I'm slowing her down, and it only makes me more nervous as the smile on her face never wavers even as we near our destination.   
The hallway we enter is one I'm unfamiliar with, personally, but one I've heard of many times before. My lady calls it the birthing wing, but servants and slaves call it the breeding hall. My stomach drops as I step onto the soft plush carpet that lines the hall, the color is actually a warm beige. A bit outside of my lady's usual color scheme. But, the nice carpet, and cozy decor doesn't make me feel any better about what's to come.   
"Here we are, pet." She says, and sweeps into a room ahead of her, her long gown trailing after her as I limped inside.   
When I saw who awaited me, I froze. Sure, I knew that coming down this hall meant that I was to take another to bed, with the intention of creating a child, probably a beautiful one at that. My lady has always been known to have only the most pleasing, to the eyes, people near her.   
I was prepared to face a woman who was as unhappy to be here as I am. I was prepared for a woman who would look at me with disgust, and even hatred. What I was not prepared for was seeing Maggie tied naked to the large canopy bed in the middle of the room. There were tear tracks down her face, and she had her eyes tightly shut, like she was trying to block out what was about to happen to her.   
My eyes widened, and in my head I was screaming "NO!"   
This couldn't be happening. I've never once thought of Maggie as a lover. She's my bonded, my family, she's like my older sister, and I was being set up to breed with her.   
From the looks of it she had already been bred, and my guess was the first man was Lucien Gold. I turned to look at Lady Amethyst, hoping… no praying, she would simply laugh, and tell me this was a joke, or even that I would be able to take Maggie away. I knew it wouldn't happen. The look on my lady's face was one of sadistic glee, she was enjoying my panic.   
"Well, pet, why don't you get started." Lady Amethyst practically purred, as she glided into the room, and took her seat by the window.   
That's when something hit me… my lady was going to watch. Of course she was. The shock must have been taking some time to wear off because my lady called sharply,  
"Pet!"   
I swallowed hard before approaching the bed, and my bonded. Her eyes had opened, and I could see her bloodshot blue orbs staring back at me.   
"G-Grim?" She shuddered out, confusion clear in her quiet voice.   
"Hey, Maggie, are you okay?"   
"What's happening?" Maggie asked.   
I didn't know if Maggie expected me to treat this like an interrogation, and hurt her, or if she just didn't want to acknowledge what was about to happen.   
"She… my lady wants us to b-breed." I answer, shuddering over the last word.   
"What?" Maggie gasps, pulling at the ropes.   
"Pet, hurry it up!" My lady demanded.   
The second I laid my hand on Maggie, she flinched. I couldn't do this to my bonded, and betray her trust.   
"PET!!!"   
"I… I'm sorry, my lady, I can't."   
"What…" the quiet rage that came with the word was echoed along the bracelets on my wrists.   
"I can't hurt her. She's my bonded." I couldn't help but beg. I stepped away from the bed, and kneeled down on the cream colored carpet. Facing my lady as I pleaded for anything else, anyone else.   
"You would dare deny me!? You would dare to tell me no! You will do as I command!"   
The bracelets burned as my lady's rage filled the room.   
"I can't… I can't… I'm sorry…"   
"I choose to breed two of my most beautiful slaves together, and you're telling me that you can't!"  
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" I begged.   
I felt something strike me, and heard Maggie scream. My vision blurred from the impact, and I blacked out. I awoke in a cold iron cage, that was too small for my body. My body ached in pain, and my wrists burned… but what was new about that?


	20. Chapter 19

I was in so much pain, and that made it even harder to move in the small cage. Wind whipped around me, and when I finally got to a sitting position, I realized that I was in a human sized bird cage, hanging not far from the north tower. It took me far too long to realize why I was here. I had defined my lady… I told her no.  
I wondered if Maggie was okay, she was probably dead by now. I sucked in a breath, and bowed my head as the wind blew past, I would mourn my bonded in a moment. For now I needed to check my wounds, and treat them if at all possible.  
The first thing I noticed was my wrists, the bracelets were still in place, but the alchemy I felt from them seemed broken. The skin underneath was charred black, and I wondered if I would lose my hands from infection. I poked at the dark flesh, and startled in surprise as the soot came off my skin, falling away like ash.  
Had I broken the alchemy bond to them? No, that was impossible, that kind of magic was far beyond my reach. It only happens in tales of old, in fantasy stories that the servants whisper in secret. I put the impossible feet out of my head, and focused on the rest of me. My head was the next place I checked, my fingers gently ran over my scalp until I came across a large knot along the back of my skull. It was extremely tender to the touch. My back was still littered with whip scars, but the bandages seemed mostly in place, and I was scared of moving them any further.  
When I settled back down, as comfortably as I could within the confines of my cage, I decided to mourn the loss of my bonded. I just couldn't bring myself to hurt her, but it made it no better that someone else had. I wondered if I'd ever find out how she died. Was it quick? A beheading as she laid tied to the bed where I had last seen her? Was she dragged to the dungeon for the rest of her short days? Was she thrown to the desert to be food for the animals?  
The possible endings for my bonded seemed endless, and painful. Something cold dropped on my knee, startling me, and it took a second to realize that it was my tears. I don't think I've ever cried for anyone, but myself before. This somehow hurt worse than that.  
I knew I shouldn't waste my tears when I didn't know if I would be given water any time soon, but my bonded… was gone, I deserved to mourn her. So, I lowered my head, and let the tears fall as I tried to commit her red hair, and blue eyes to memory, because I would never see them again.  
It was far past the second sunset when my tears finally dried. I'm sure I would cry more later, but for now I watched Mordoc grow closer to the skyline, and breathed. At some point I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know I'm startled away by a rock knocking against my cage. I turned in the direction of the nearest window, expecting to see someone holding more rocks to throw, but instead a ghost stood there.  
"M-Maggie?" I shuddered out.  
"Shhh…" she replied, but I hardly paid attention. I looked her over, just to make sure she was indeed alive.  
Her skin was dark around her neck, and wrists as she struggled to pull something from the bag beside her. Bruises… She had bruises on her skin. I felt guilty for the relief that flooded me.  
"Catch." She whispered, and I barely raised my hand in time to keep the leather pouch from hitting me in the face. It was a water skin, she had brought me a water skin. I hadn't even bothered to pay attention to how thirsty I really was until then.  
The first few swallows barely hit my tongue before I gulped them down, then I slowed down taking gentle sips when I remembered that my stomach may not be able to handle it.  
"Can you hide that with you?" Maggie asked, pulling what looked like a roll of bread, and a small square of cheese from the bag. With a bit of maneuvering I safely tucked the pouch under my bended knees and out of sight. "Don't let anyone see you with this okay? I don't know if I'll be able to get back anytime soon, the last time I was here you were still unconscious."  
"I'm so sorry, Maggie."  
"It's not your fault Grim." She said, and I wanted to argue as she tossed the roll, and the cheese my way, but instead I said,  
"I'm happy to see you Maggie, I'm glad you are my bonded."  
Her eyes glistened for a minute before she turned away, "I'm glad you're my bonded too, Grim. Stay alive, okay."  
And with those words she slipped away. I nibbled on the roll, and hid the cheese in my shirt. Thanking the gods who never seem to have me in their eyes, for protecting my bonded. Maybe one day I'd repay them for their little kindness.  
The next day was hot, and scorching, but I resisted the urge to pull out the water skin in fear that someone was watching me, and may spot it. I nibbled the cheese, by pushing it up to my collar, and tiling my head down. When the suns finally set I slowly pulled out the water skin, and sipped it gently, trying to preserve as much as I could, but still trying to quench my throat. Maggie didn't show up that night, or the next. The cheese was gone by the third day, and I managed to make the water last till the fifth, but after that it was gone.  
My fear for Maggie had returned after the second night, and I wondered if she was alive, and if I'd even know if she had died. I've heard of people who knew when their bonded were in danger, like a sixth sense that lets them know, but I had no idea if I was capable of such a thing.  
My worry faded the next night when Maggie showed up at the window just before the first sun grazed the horizon.  
"Maggie, you're okay… I was worried."  
"I'm alright, for now, but it was hard to get away. Can you toss me the old water skin?"  
"Yeah, here." The skin sailed through the air right into her waiting hands. She tossed a new one over, along with two rolls, and a piece of meat. Some kind of hard biscuit followed, and I wondered what it might have started out as before it wound up looking like this. I decided to save it for last, desperate measures and all that. Maggie gave me a small smile, and a farewell before she was gone again.  
This time I rationed the food and water better, the meat only lasted a day, I didn't want to tempt any predators catching the scent. The rolls lasted two days apiece, and the hard biscuit was actually something sweet that I could suck on for a few days. The water lasted me just over a week. I started to lose track of the days after that. Maggie stopped by when she could, and gave me food, and water that I rationed out as best I could, but I had no interaction with anyone other than her. It was unsettling.  
I never thought of myself as a people person, but I longed for company, someone to speak to, or at least to have a presence of someone, so I don't feel so alone. The chatter from the yard below would often float up to me, but I had no way to communicate with the people that I couldn't see.  
I awoke one day to dark skies, and howling winds swing the cage. The hairs on my neck stood on end as I saw what was coming in the distance. A storm was heading this way, and not a welcome storm either. It wasn't the kind of storm that happened once a year, bringing with it much needed rain. No, it was one that was wind, sand, and pure furry, destroying everything in its path.  
"H-HEY!" I called out, trying in vain to gain attention. To be left out in something like this… it's a death sentence, and right now I had someone to live for.  
"HEY! GET ME DOWN!!" I yelled out, but to no avail. I saw no one before the winds picked up, and the gentle rocking of the cage turned into a violent tossing that banged me into the side of the tower. At some point I lost my water skin, and the last of the cheese I had in my shirt from Maggie's last visit, but I was too worried about my survival to notice, or even care.  
I wrapped my sash around my face as best I could to keep the sand from flying into my eyes, nose, and mouth, but I could no longer see to brace myself when I hit the wall. The sand stung my skin as it battered my soft flesh. I felt the sand give way to glass shards the wind had picked up. It was like feeling a whip slapping my body from every direction. Curling into a ball only did so much when I was flung about the cage slamming into the bars and the wall. My barely healed back was smashed into both, and the bandages that had held on for all this time gave way, exposing more of me to the cruelty of the storm.  
I don't know how long I was tossed, and thrown by the unforgiving forces of nature, and it was nearly my undoing. Then I heard the chain break, and my cage plummeted. The wind took me with it as I tried in vain to keep myself in one piece. I slammed against the walls, and the bars of the cage that had been bent at some point during the fall. My arm hit the side of the cage, and I felt a stabbing pain that could only mean something hit bone. I choked on a scream as I was jerked about, and the broken bar dragged along my arm.  
The cage hit the ground with a jarring rattle, and my world went black for a few minutes, before I was returned to the world of howling wind and pain. I couldn't see past the slim protection of my sash, but I could feel the sand sliding in around me. I was being buried alive.  
In my blind panic at the thought I started clawing at the sand, the glass shards ripping my nails apart, but that didn't matter, the pain didn't matter, the cage didn't matter, I wouldn't die like this. I would NOT! my fingers stung as they ran over the edge of the broken and bent bars, and I scrambled around it, trying to slide my way out of the quickly sinking cage. My chest was torn as I slid through, and my thigh got caught as well, but I got out. Now I just had to survive the rest of the storm.


	21. Chapter 20

When I awoke I found myself in the infirmary. Some one had found me in the storm, and brought me in, but I can't remember anything after I got out of the cage. Tiana frowned over me before darkness consumed me again.   
The second time I woke for a little longer, and I was relieved that my lady was too busy to visit.   
The third time, my luck ran out…  
It's about time you were up." My lady's sharp voice says as she enters the room.   
I bow my head in submission, but decline to say anything, I wasn't particularly happy with her right now.   
"I want you out of that bed as soon as possible, there is much work to be done, and with you slacking off these last few weeks more and more has begun to pile up."   
In other words she no longer had someone who could take care of her enemies the way I did, and leaving me in that cage the past few weeks had done her absolutely no good. I only nodded my head as her words continued to wash over me. It was estimated that I'd be out of bed in three weeks time. Knowing my lady she'd make it two.   
After she left Tiana came in, her face softening only a little as she placed a comforting hand on my head.   
"It's good to see you coherent." She said, before catching me up on the mansions gossip.   
Usually she would keep her mouth shut, and let Maggie inform me, but I hadn't seen the redhead since before the storm.   
When I gained enough courage to ask her, fearing Maggie's death, or even her avoidance of me, I was informed that Lady Amethyst had been taking her anger out on Maggie in petty, but effective ways.   
She had been demoted to cleaning maid, and was run absolutely ragged everyday. Apparently anyone seen offering her help disappeared, and this caused great fear among the other servants, so she had no one to even talk to anymore. She wasn't even allowed in the servants quarters, but had been sleeping in the infirmary behind a closed curtain. It made me sick to hear all that she was enduring. Knowing she was going through such hardships while I was caged… the fact that she had even had the slightest chance to get me food and water was a miracle. 

Finally the day came that I was allowed out of my hospital bed two weeks, and three days after the storm. Much to my lady's displeasure. My time of relief had ended, for my lady had a job for me immediately after I exited the infirmary grounds. She grabbed my hand, and led me down the all to familiar hallway, that led to an all to familiar room. For a moment I was worried I would be the one tied to the chair this time. But, instead my lady told me,   
"I heard from a little bird that this slave was trying to help others escape, I want you to find out how, and who all was helping him, understand?"   
"Yes, my lady."   
"Good pet." She said, her words condescending to me as we entered the room.   
Lady Amethyst opened the door of the room, and my eyes grew wide in shock. It wasn't a man that sat tied to the chair, it was Maggie. I told her not to bring up her crazy ideas of escape! Now look at the situation she's in!  
I looked to the Mistress. She had a cruel grin stretched across her face. She was setting me up again. She knows that I can't hurt Maggie, that I'll try to go against her orders again.   
"M-my lady." I began, "I… can't hurt her."   
"Are you refusing me again!?" She asked loudly, "Do you want to be put in that cage again!?"   
"No!" I answered quickly, "No, I'll do as you command, my lady."   
"That's what I thought." She said, walking to her chair in the corner of the room, "Well, begin."   
I walk to the wall of weapons, and remove a knife before turning back to Maggie's trembling form. She was looking at me, but she wasn't afraid. She had an unusually peaceful look in her eyes, though they also held tears. She didn't have the cold of death coming from her, and there weren't any extra shadows floating around the room either. So, she was going to be okay… I hoped.   
"Maggie, I'm sorry." I said to her, "Please, please forgive me."   
"It's okay, Grim." She says, tears running down her freckled cheeks, "I'll always forgive you."   
I raise the knife, and make a small cut on Maggie's right upper arm. She doesn't react, she just stares into my eyes. I knew just from looking at her that she knew nothing of any slaves escaping. She may have talked crazy ideas of it, but she wasn't stupid enough to try it. There's no way she helped anyone escape.   
"Tell the truth, Maggie." I told her, "Did you aid any slaves in escaping the Estate?"   
"I did not." She answered, her voice clear and true.   
LIAR!!!" Lady Amethyst yelled, "Keep going, pet!"   
For hours I continued to make cuts on Maggie with the knife. She continued to deny having anything to do with slaves escaping. I could see my lady becoming impatient, so I slowly stabbed the knife into Maggie's stomach. Begin extra careful to avoid any vital organs. She let out an ear piercing scream of pain. Still she remained silent.   
"That's enough." Lady Amethyst said, getting up from her chair, "This is obviously not working. It's time to take a different raote."   
Lady Amethyst walked to the door, and opened it. A guard comes stomping in.   
"Take that," Lady Amethyst points to Maggie, "to the pit." She said, and my stomach dropped to my feet.   
"Please, my lady, don't… Maggie's done nothing." I pleaded, "Please, I beg of you she will die if you send her there."   
"And, what of it?" She will be better off dead… in my opinion." Lady Amethyst said, her words cutting through easier and deeper than any knife.   
The guard pulled Maggie from the chair as I stood frozen in place, she only made a small noise of discomfort as he lifted her up. That's when I felt the all too familiar cold that meant death was coming for a soul. The shadows in the room began to dance as she was dragged from the room.   
No! Was Maggie going to die?  
"Please, my lady, don't do this." I begged, "Please, I'll do anything."   
"I'll do whatever I want to her." Lady Amethyst says, "Now, you will stay put."   
I felt her alchemy flow throughout my body, and my legs locked in place. Lady Amethyst gave me a glare as she closed the door behind her. The lock turning in place. All I could think of was Maggie being taken to the pit.   
The pit is where slaves go to die for their disobedience. Lady Amethyst is well known for throwing slaves into it, and then watching as giant desert worms come to eat them. No one ever comes back alive, and now Maggie is being dragged there unconscious. I have to do something. I have to make my body move. I can't let her die. I CAN NOT!!  
Move… body… move." I think out loud, "Come on… please move."   
I feel something wet drip from my nose. I'm having a nosebleed, but I can actually feel my toes beginning to move, and the hot sensation wafting from the bracelets was yet again being negated by a cold energy. I continued to will, myself to move. The blood running from my nose only becomes stronger as my legs begin to start moving. There's the sound of wood smashing, and the next thing I know I'm bolting down the hallway, and to the gardens faster than I've ever run before.   
But, even with my speed I don't make it to the pit in time. Maggie's already being thrown into it! I rushed forward as fast as my legs would take me. Catching a quick glimpse of my lady's face as I jumped head first into the pit that is full of raging giant desert worms.   
I managed to catch Maggie as I leaped in, but only just, the cold feeling inside me only growing as I pulled her warm body close, and rolled both of us through the air. The fall was surprisingly fast. I hit the ground hard, landing on my back, the air leaving my lungs in a whoosh. I lay there for a minute trying to catch my breath, when the ground began to rumble. The worm was coming. I looked around for any other way out, but I can only see the bones of all the unfortunate slaves that met their demise down here. The only way out is up, and that means I'm going to have to ride this desert worm out. I hold Maggie's unconscious form tightly against my body, and wait till I see the worm. I dart towards the wall of the pit, managing to use it to jump over the mouth of the worm. I landed on the creature's head drawing its attention to me, and the opening above. I crouched down against the wind as the worm surged upwards. It bursts through the opening, letting out a deafening roar.   
Once out in the open I waste no time jumping off, and trying to land as gracefully as I can with Maggie still in my arms. Even from here I can see the rage on my lady's face as the guards swarmed about trying to keep the worm from leaving the pit.   
"Throw her back in this instant!" Lady Amethyst yells at me, but I'm not here to please her right now.   
She tried to get rid of my bonded, for something she hadn't even done. I'm not about to obey her in this. In fact, I realized I don't have to. I felt nothing, no burning sensation coming from the bracelets, no urge to do my lady's bidding… nothing. Something cold inside me was negating her alchemy.   
"Guard, throw her back in!!" She screamed when I didn't obey.   
The guards turn from their tasks, and start forward, so I gently lay Maggie's limp body on the ground, and grab the closest guard to me around his neck. His skin was freezing. I twist my arm, the guards body going limp, before I pitched him into the pit I had just gotten out of.   
The others freeze in their tracks looking at me in horror.   
I look at Lady Amethyst, and tell her, "If anyone tries to hurt her again… I'll kill them."   
The look of rage is gone in an instant, morphing into one of shock. She looks to my wrists where I can see the charred bracelets out of my peripheral vision. Her face contorts through several emotions before she settles with a deep unhappy frown.   
"Very well." Lady Amethyst grits out, "I'll leave her alone, for now."   
The easy acceptance startles me. My lady was actually going to leave Maggie alone?  
Deciding it was best not to say anything back, I held my tongue, and instead picked Maggie up, and headed to the infirmary. My lady's eyes watching me the whole time.   
I would dwell on my future punishment later, for now I ran as quickly as I dared to Tiana.   
She took one look at Maggie, hanging limply in my arms, and immediately got to work. Ordering me to strip Maggie, and place her on the bed as she gathered medical supplies, and close the curtain.   
"What happened?" She snaps out, and I studder out a replay as she begins cleaning the wounds.   
"I-I was commanded to find out if she knew of the escaping slaves… but, she didn't know anything… but, m-my lady wouldn't let me s-stop… and then she was almost k-killed by the worm in the pit."   
"Hmmm." Tiana hummed, but didn't say anything further, as she stitched up the stab wound to Maggie's stomach.   
"Is she going to be okay?" I ask eventually, even though I can no longer feel the coldness of deaths embrace, the shadows in the room still danced in my vision, and my worry is not abated.   
"Yes… she is going to be just fine." Tiana answered, "The question is are you?"   
"I'm not the one that's hurt." I answer back honestly, I hadn't even gotten scratched by the desert worm.   
"Then why do you have blood all over your face, and char marks on your wrists?"   
"What?" I asked, but then realized she was talking about the nosebleed, and the burned bracelets. I had honestly forgotten about them both.   
"Ummm… because I was able to break my lady's alchemy." I answered a little unsure.   
"You broke her alchemy?" Tiana asks, stalling in her care of Maggie to look at me in shock, "How?"   
"Yes, I… well, to be completely honest I'm not really sure. I just forced myself to move, and I did."   
Tiana looked like she wanted to start a rant in her common tounge about me. I winced, because it usually involves a lot of creative curses towards my ancestors, and future descendants. Thankfully it was interrupted by a knock on the infirmary wall.   
A maid poked her head around the curtain just long enough to say, "The Mistress would like to see you in her room." And, then she was gone.   
I look at Tiana, whose frown turned into a small smile of reassurance, and let out a sigh, as I stood up. I run my fingers through Maggie's red locks, and placed my hand on her cheek, before pulling up my courage, and heading to the door.   
"Grim," Tiana says before I make it out.   
"Yeah."   
"You might want to clean up before going to see her." She says indicating my bloody face and charred wrists.   
I gave her a nod, and walked out of the infirmary. I'm sure my punishment would be bad. I was sure my lady would put me back in the birdcage, and I'd be hung from the tower again. I walked to the baths, contemplating my fate. I'd already disobeyed my lady enough today, so I didn't think it would matter if it took me a bit longer to answer her summons.   
Once done in the bath I made my way to the Mistress's room. As I reached for the door knob, my hand froze. I wasn't ready for what she had in store for me. I had only just recovered from her last band of torture, I wasn't sure if I could survive a second time. Then I thought of Maggie, and all I could do was take a deep breath before going inside.   
"You wanted to see me, my lady?" I asked with far more calm than I felt.   
"Yes, have a seat." She answered, gesturing to the bed, "We have much to discuss."   
I walked to the bed, sat, and waited… waited for the worst.   
"I have a mission for you." She says, "In Everpoint."   
"You want me to go to Everpoint?" I asked in confusion.   
"You're not going to punish me for my behavior?" I continued, it was probably stupid of me, but my curiosity outweighed my common sense at the moment… what little of it I had left after this lie I've lived.   
"No, I won't punish you." She laughed, "This mission will be punishment enough." A cold smile graced her lips, and I freeze before taking a hard swallow.   
What was about to happen to me?  
"Do you want revenge on your last Master?" She asked, "After all he abandoned you, and he hurt you. You still have the scars on your back to prove that. That would certainly make me want revenge."   
What? My mind went blank at her question. Revenge on Charles Baron? I had never even thought about that before. I always figured I'd never see him again. Now she wanted me to go back?  
"Well, pet?"   
"I… I don't know." I answer her finally, "I haven't thought about him in years."   
"Then you could do it for me." She said, walking over to me, and placing her hands on my arms, "Baylock told me some interesting news about Charles the night of the dinner party. He told me that Charles has a new whore he's playing around with, like he did with your mother. But, that isn't it, Baylock also told me she's possibly a White Reaper as well."   
My world stopped… another White Reaper? I wasn't alone? I had heard the gossip talk of them, but now I might get the chance to met one?  
"I'll go for you." I say to her, lying though my teeth, because I know exactly what my lady wants to hear. And, hopefully my obedience will spare Maggie more pain. It was my disobedience that got her where she now after all.   
"Ah, one more thing." She says, "I am also giving you permission to kill anyone else who hurt you as a child."   
I blink, the first person that comes to mind is that old bat Hera, but I doubt she's still alive. Maybe I wanted revenge more than I thought.   
"When will I be leaving, Mistress?" I asked, I didn't want to say anything else, after all I was still very unhappy with my lady right now. And, I will be even more so if I come back to find Maggie dead. If I can kill the Baron I don't see what will stop me from killing the lady too.   
"Anytime you are ready." Came the delighted reply. I don't know what her plan is with this, but I don't see a way out that won't make the whole situation worse.   
So, with a short bow I leave, and head to gather my supplies. The sooner I get this done the sooner I can get back home to Maggie.   
I visit my bonded, telling her goodbye. And wishing her a safe recovery. I know she cannot hear me, but I feel better telling her than not.   
"Tiana, please keep her safe." I say to the healer, "Please, don't let my lady do anything to her."   
"I promise, nothing will happen to her." Tiana says, before asking, "How long will you be gone?"   
"I don't know." I answer, "My lady didn't give me a time to return by this time."   
"Be careful." She tells me with her usual frown as I head out the door.   
I wave to her over my shoulder. This mission would be hard in many ways. Mentally, physically, and even emotionally, but I could feel that cold spot of magic in my soul steadily growing. It was almost like it was responding to my emotions about the situation that's been put in front of me. And, my emotion was glee. I was actually happy at the thought of killing my own father. He was never a father in the first place. He's only ever hurt me. He deserves this… doesn't he?  
Even so, I still had no clue if I wanted to do this for me, so for the meantime I'll keep telling myself it's for my lady. This is what she wants, not what I want. I finally had all my supplies packed, and once again I stood in front of the solid gold doors of the Estate. I don't hesitate to walk through the doors, and then through town. Borus was setting as I set of southeast of Roseville to Everpoint.


	22. Chapter 21

Maggie wakes up, and immediately begins to panic, trying to sit up to move.   
"No, Maggie, lay back down." Tiana said, carefully placing her hands on Maggie's shoulders, "You are safe, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."   
"Where's Grim?" She asks, her voice shaking with fear, "Where is he?"   
"He left to go on a mission a few hours ago."   
"What? Why? He can't be… he's gotta protect me. What will I do without his protection?" Maggie said frantically, "How long will he be gone?"   
"He didn't know." Tiana answered, "He wasn't given a time frame to return."   
Her panic only increased. She's on Lady Amethyst's bad side. What if Lady Amethyst tried to kill her again? Grim won't be there to save her. What if he doesn't come back this time? Fear gripped her, and her breath began to quicken.   
She hardly noticed when Tiana walked over to the bed, only acknowledging her, right before a needle sticks into her neck. Maggie's eyes begin to close, and the last thing she thinks before she falls into a deep sleep is that Grim has finally abandoned her. She was beginning to wonder when she would become too much of a burden for him. 

I walked all night deep into the desert, unsure if I was even headed in the direction of Everpoint anymore. This wasn't what I wanted to do, I wanted… no, needed to by Maggie's side… not here, like this.   
It wasn't a conscious decision, but I started to follow the dark shadows that kept appearing before my eyes. It took awhile for me to notice that I was headed towards the Grand Oasis. Even from this great distance I could see it's glow. It would only take a week to reach, if the weather held up.   
It was only a sunset later that I saw a familiar desert wild dog appear on top of a tall dune. She made her way to me as soon as she saw me. My mood brightened when I realized I would have a companion yet again. She came up to me, and nuzzled her large head against my cheek in greeting.   
"Well, hello again." I said to her, scratching her behind the ears, "I trust you've behaved yourself the past two years."   
She huffed, and gave me a wet sloppy doggy kiss to the face.   
"Ugh… is that going to be an ongoing thing with you?" I asked the creature, wiping my face with my cloak.   
She nudged me again, hard enough to send me to the ground, and then like a puppy she was on top of me giving me more sloppy kisses.   
"Okay, okay!" I laughed, trying my best to get away, "I get it, you can stop now!"  
The creature finally got off me, and sat down wagging its tail in innocence. Sitting up, and wiping my face, I looked up at the sky, all three suns were high overhead, and my stomach was growling.   
"Well, guess it's time to eat." I thought out loud, pulling off my pack to rummage through it.   
Hearing a whine, I looked up to see the wild dog looking at me with her big crystal clear blue eyes.   
"You sure are a beggar." I tell the beast, throwing her a piece of jerky, "Now, listen, you that's all I can give you. You'll have to catch your own food from now on."   
She gave me another whine, and ate the jerky in one large gulp. Then she came to curl around me, placing her head in my lap. I leaned into her furry side, and began to stuff my face.   
"You know, maybe I should give you a name." I tell the wild dog, "Would you like that?"   
The wild dog gave a content huff, and looked up at me through her eyelashes. These things were far more intelligent that people gave them credit for.   
"Okay, let's see. Niera… hmmm, no, don't like that one. Neba, uhmm, no." I pondered out loud, "Oh, how about Nova?"   
The wild dog's ears perked up at that one.   
"You, like that one, huh?" I asked her, earning another sloppy kiss, "Alright, Nova it is then."   
I finished my food, but still had no desire to hurry to the oasis. I really wanted to rest, so leaning farther into Nova's fur, I pulled the hood of the cloak over my head, and closed my eyes.   
For once I didn't dream. My mind was silent, which was a welcome relief after the night terrors I had at the Estate. No, it wasn't a nightmare that woke me from my sleep, but a woman screaming bloody murder in the distance. The scream even startled Nova enough that she threw me when she woke up.   
"What was that?" I asked.   
The question was left unanswered of course. Looking to Nova who was looking off into the distance, her ears perked up in high alert. It was night, the moon shining brightly, but I couldn't see one thing. No woman anywhere.   
"Come on Nova, let's get going." I told the creature, walking up to her, and patting her in reassurance.   
Nova leaned down to let me get on her back.   
"No, not this time girl." I tell her, "I want to take my time. I'm not ready to do what I've been sent out here to do, not yet."   
Beginning to walk, Nove followed closely behind me. She looked disappointed that I rejected the chance to ride her, but my heart wasn't ready for it this time. I was feeling mournful, and that wasn't something I wanted to carry to the winds as I rode.   
It was odd, this feeling of wanting to stay away from Roseville. I had always tired my hardest to complete my missions quickly, so I could return to my lady's side. I had never yearned to stay away before.   
Honestly, deep down in my soul I wanted to run away. I had felt this feeling once before, but never this strongly. Though I really hated the idea of leaving Maggie behind to fend for herself, I wasn't opposed to it like I normally would be. There was just so much tension between us at the moment.   
Shaking my head I pushed those thoughts from my mind. I really didn't want to think about Rose Estate, or Maggie. Besides, I have bigger issues to deal with. In my heart I was still battling with the thought of killing Charles Baron. It's not like he's ever done anything good, other than helping to make me, I guess, but even that was against my mother's will. Letting out a deep sigh, I dropped my head to look at the sand. Nova shoved her cold wet nose in my face.   
"I'm okay." I sat to her, "Just a lot on my mind. Can we trade lives?"   
Suddenly a gust of hot air rushed by us. A sandstorm was passing by somewhere, and judging from the direction of the wind, it was in front of us. That's the last thing I wanted to get mixed up in.   
I didn't have enough supplies to care for a wounded desert wild dog. I barely packed enough for myself.   
By the next morning the hot wind had died down, and thankfully there was no sand in sight, but as always I spoke too soon. Only a few hours after all three suns were up, a sandstorm hit, and it was a bad one. Its searing hot winds cooked my skin, and I cried out in pain. But, I had to push forward even through the pain, and the darkness. The heat, and darkness weren't the worst part of this sandstorm though, it was how long it lasted… three full days.   
On the third day the giant cloud of sand, and glass finally dissipated, and the suns showed through brighter than ever. I climbed to the top of a very large dune, wincing in pain all the way. The sandstrom threw off my sense of direction, and I needed to have a look around the area to get a good vantage point. Once at the top I sat down, pulling my pack off. I needed my burn cream. But, as I was about to put it on I saw a girl below me. She looked lost, and scared.   
She must have been caught in the sandstrom too, and she might even be injured. Letting out a sigh, I looked to Nova, and then started for the girl. I might be injured, but I've always been one to help others before myself. I did the same for Maggie when we were caught in that sandstorm all those years ago. Besides, my burns don't hurt that bad anyway. I had the hood of my cloak pulled up, and when she noticed me walking to her, her yellow eyes went wide in fright. So, she's a gypsy. I can use this to my advantage.   
"It's okay." I said to her, pulling my hood down, "I'm not going to hurt you."   
She gives a quick bow, revealing the large red flowers growing out her long very curly black hair. She was rather pretty with large eyes, and full lips. She had a nice full figure as well. She looked older than me by several years. As she looked back up at me, I noticed she also had small ferns growing around her temples, and behind her ears. It was always interesting to see what kinds of plants grew from the bodies of the gypsy's.   
"Are you lost?"   
"I am, young Reaper." She answers, "I got separated from my caravan in the sandstrom, and I'm afraid I don't know which way to go now."   
"Where was your caravan headed?"   
"To the Grand Oasis."   
"That's where I'm headed to." I said to her, "Since we're both headed in the same direction, why not travel together? It can be dangerous to travel the desert alone."   
She nods her head in agreement, and then asks, "Then why are you traveling alone, typing Reaper?"   
"Oh, I'm not alone." I tell her, pointing to Nova who was still a little ways off.   
"Ah… you have a companion. White Reapers do always seem to favor the dangerous ones." The gypsy girl says in awe.   
"May I ask you your name?" I question her.   
"Nesoi, Nesoi Bellflower." She replies.   
"Nesoi." I said quietly to myself, "Oh, here." I handed her the burn cream, "You look like you need this more than me."   
"Oh, I couldn't possibly, young Reaper-" she started.   
"I want you to." I told her.   
Nesoi looked tired. Like she hadn't slept for a while. She must be worried about her people.   
"Would you like to ride on Nova's back?" I ask her, "You look tired."   
Nesoi eyes Nova nervously, and Nova looks back at Nesoi with her clear blue eyes.   
"It's alright, Nova only looks dangerous." I say to her, "She's actually a real softy."   
"Well… alright." She gives in, "I am rather tired."   
I helped Nesoi up onto Nova's back, and started to walk again. Nova follows close behind me, being very gentle with Nesoi, who was applying the burn cream to her dark skin. I adjusted our heading northeast to the Grand Oasis. Hopefully we were only a day or two away. The sandstrom was a big set back. I was so ready to jump into the cool water of the oasis, and soothe my own burned skin. 

Two blistering hot days later, I could just make out the large palm trees of the oasis on the horizon. I wanted to yell out in joy, but I was far too tired to even utter a sound. The caravan was sitting just outside the tree line, not too far from the water.   
"Is that your caravan?" I asked Nesoi, helping her down off of Nova's back.   
"Yes, and I'm so thankful they made it safely." She answered, tears appearing in her yellow eyes.   
"Come on, I bet everyone is very worried about you." I tell her.   
Once within a few feet of the caravan, a very tall gypsy male came rushing forward, and threw his arms around Nesoi. It was almost like Nesoi was the only person he could see at that moment, but then I heard him say, "I was so worried about you, sister."   
Ah… so they are siblings. Nesoi pulls out of his embrace giving me an apologetic look.   
"I'm fine, Emeric." She says, "It's all thanks to the young Reaper."   
"Reaper?" Emeric asks in confusion, as he turned around to look at me   
He seemed very… familiar. Was it the tiny blue flowers growing in his long braided hair, or something else. I just couldn't place where I've seen him. He just stares at me. It was odd he didn't bow like all of the other gypsy's do, in fact he completely ignores me, and goes back to looking over, his sister.   
"Forgive my younger brother's rudeness, Master Reaper." Nesoi apologizes, trying to wiggle out of her brother's grasp, "Emeric, he saved my life, and gave me medicine to heal my injuries."   
Emeric looks down at me, but still doesn't utter a word of thanks. I really didn't mind it. Gypsy's are normally way too nice to me, so it's refreshing to not be bowed to, or treated with a respect I never felt that I even deserved.   
I continue to look over Emeric. Still unable to place where I've seen him before, but as he turns to glare at me, it hits me.   
"Wait, aren't you the be-" I started to say, but Emeric quickly grabs me, and slaps his hand over my mouth.   
"Let me show you around, Master Reaper!" He says loudly, pulling me away from his sister. As soon as we're far enough away, he says, "I can't believe this. To think I'd actually meet you again, let alone having you recognize me. Listen, you might have helped me get away back then, but if you tell a single soul about that day, I'll hurt you. And, just for the record I really don't care that you're a White Reaper." He says, saying the last two words with a mocking sort of tone, "Do you understand?"   
I give a quick nod, and he slowly removes his hand from my mouth. But, I was startled with the realization that he was indeed the female gypsy I had let run away several years ago.   
"Yes, I understand, but if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up in that kind of a situation in the first place?"   
Emeric just gives me a blank stare, and stays silent for a long time, before finally answering, "It's not… important."   
I let out a sigh, and told him, "Fine… I don't really care, just don't get yourself in that situation again, because next time you'll be on your own."   
Not wanting to press the matter, I walked away from him headed to the clear green blue water of the oasis. I wanted to take a long soak. My that would help my blistered skin. I walked to the edge of the water, plunging my feet into the cold liquid. It felt amazing after nearly two weeks in the desert. I pulled out my vest, frowning down at it. My clothes were filthy… might as well wash them while I'm at it. I forced myself to move out of the water, and looked for a private place to bathe.   
After a minute of looking I came across a large rock that would be perfect for my needs. I dived in disappearing behind the large brown stone, then stripped off my clothing. Once done washing them I throw them onto the rock to dry. Then I sink into the water to relax.   
I was so close to falling asleep when something gently bumped my leg. Waking with a start, I reached for my long knife only to find that it wasn't there. Looking around I see a large gold colored fish tail. It was an oasis maiden.   
Thankfully these mermaids aren't dangerous like their river dwelling kin, they prefer a much more… vegetarian diet, so to speak. The only thing about them that was off putting, was their need to touch, and to flirt. They were commonly known for seducing men and women for a swim. I do my best to ignore them, even as they slide near me, and their webbed hands gently trail over my skin.   
I wasn't able to stay in for long, before I got out, more than a little annoyed that the maidens couldn't keep their hands to themselves. I checked to see if my clothes were dry, of course they weren't, but still I slipped them on anyway. Then I climbed up the large rock, and sat there staring out at the vast desert deep in thought. 

I must have fallen asleep at some point during my thinking, because I woke to the sound of music, and joyfully laughter all around me. Sitting up, I could see a large bonfire in the middle of the caravan, and couples were dancing around it. It looked like they were having some sort of festival. Many of them played string instruments that gave off a lovely tune, and Nesoi stood among them singing what sounded like a lullaby. Sadly it was in the gypsy's native tongue, so I had no clue what she was saying. It's a calming sound though, and I felt so relaxed that I could have fallen back to sleep.   
Looking up at the moon, I let out a sigh, "What should I do Deathta? Do I kill my father for my lady, or for me?"   
I pause, and wait on an answer that I know will never come. I give a spiteful laugh, and look back at the water below. Why did I think anything would happen? The gods never answer your questions, they won't even come, and help their oppressed creations.   
After a while the singing stops, but the lively music continues.   
"Are you alright, Master Reaper?" A voice asks from behind me. I turn to see Nesoi standing just below the rock I was on.   
"I'm fine." I answered her.   
"Are you sure? You look like you have a lot on your mind." She says, "Have you tried praying to the gods about it?"  
"Ha… yes, I've already prayed to the gods."   
"And, what did they say?"   
"Not one single blasted thing." I answered bitterly.   
"The gods are known to work in mysterious ways." She says, ignoring my aggressive tone to ask a question instead, "Is there anything I can get for you, Master Reaper?"   
I turn to look at her, "No, I don't need anything at all."   
Nesoi gives me one last sad look, before walking away to join the others. I watched her go. She stops to talk to her brother, it looks like they're fighting for a moment, but she finally points towards me, and I can see Emeric give out a sigh. A few short minutes later he begins to walk in my direction, he was holding a water skin, and a bowl of what looked to be piping hot food. My stomach made an awful noise. I hadn't even realized how hungry I was.   
Emeric carefully climbs up the rock, sits the water skin, and food down beside me, and then sits down himself. He stares off into the distance, not saying anything for a while before he finally speaks, "Sorry about my behavior earlier. I don't want my sister to worry about me, or to find out about my… questionable hobbies."   
"That song, Nesoi was singing, what was it about?" I asked him, changing the subject. I mean, it's not exactly my place to question his hobby for crossdressing.   
"That was the love story of Lord Deathta, and Lady Phenixo." He answered, "It's always sung on the second planting month, during our courting season. It's sung on the eve of Rutian, the first day of the new month. We call this day Eve of Pheita. I'm sure you can guess what we do on the day of. At least for those who found a life mate."   
My head spins around to look at Emeric. He laughs, I must have had a disgusted look on my face. "I really don't want to know." I said quickly.   
He laughs again, and then says, "I'm assuming my sister talked to you about the gods answering prayers, and working in mysterious ways."   
I gave a nod in answer.   
"Well, I can tell you first hand that, that's not true. Sometimes you have to find the answers on your own." He says, a sad look in his eyes… almost like he was speaking from experience.   
"And, just how am I supposed to do that?" I ask him, more willing to listen to him than his sister, she seemed far too naive in certain things.   
"That's ultimately up to you." He answers cryptically, "But, if you don't mind me asking my own questions, why are you seeking answers from the gods?"   
Huh…" I sigh heavily, "I've been given a task by my lady, and I'm not sure what to do."   
"What task?"   
"I've been ordered to kill my old master." I answer quietly.   
"And… you don't want to?"   
"That's the thing, I do want to… he's a horrible man." I explained, "he used to tortured me on a daily basis, and… he's a father."   
"You're a half breed?"   
"Yes." I answer, "You ask a lot of questions, you know."   
"Sorry, I'm just curious." Emeric apologizes, "So, why does your… owner now want him dead?"  
"She was once engaged to him." I answer reluctantly, "He has wondering eyes though. She wants revenge on him for cheating on her with my mother, but now he's involved with someone else, and she's angry about it."  
"That seems like a rather complicated situation." Emeric says, scratching his head, "Sorry I can't be of any help to you."   
"No, this isn't your problem, so it's fine that you can't help." I said, quickly, "Honestly just you listening to me rant without judgment is enough."   
"Well, you know you can stay here as long as you like until you make a decision." Emeric says, "Our caravan will be her for the rest of the month."   
"Thanks."   
"Now, I didn't bring this food over here for it to sit and get cold, eat, and then get some rest." Emeric says, getting up to leave.  
"Emeric!" I say loudly, "Would you stay, I could use the company right now."   
"Sure, I'll stay for a little while." Emeric laughs, "You better keep my secret, though." He adds a wink at the end, and I just give him a playful huff. It's not the kind of interaction I usually have with people, but it's not uncomfortable.   
"I promise, I'll keep your secret." I tell him, "And I won't even push you to tell me why you were there in the first place."   
"Good, cause I'm not telling you anyways."   
"Since I can't ask you about that…" I start, but stop.   
"You can ask me anything else."   
"Why aren't you over there finding a mate? You are of age, right?  
"Yes, I'm of age, but let's just say I'm not into women" he answered, "But, it's no big deal. I'm just doomed to be alone I guess."   
I let out a quiet breathy laugh, and looked up at the moon again, "I can agree with you on the being doomed to be alone, but not the other thing."   
I picked up the bowl of still piping hot food, and began to shovel it into my mouth savoring each bit. It was really good, even though it had a simple flavor. Me and Emeric sit in comfortable silence for a long time. Listening to the music, and laughter that had picked back up.   
It was getting close to midnight when Emeric finally spoke again, "Well, things are quieting down now." He gets up, "You should try and get some rest."   
"I will in a little while." This prompts a sigh from him before he starts walking away, leaving me alone again with my own dark thoughts.


	23. Chapter 22

I had a relatively dreamless sleep, maybe my mind was too full of thoughts about my mission to dream. Well, my sleep was peaceful until I felt a wetness on my face. My eyes pop open, and I see Nova standing over me. She was licking me, trying to wake me up.  
"I thought you left." I laughed, reaching up to pet her face, and then scratch behind her eyes, "Keep watch while I take a swim, okay."  
Nova lets out a huff in answer, and turns away from me. It was almost like she was giving me some privacy.  
Sitting up, I looked around at my surroundings. The caravan is peacefully quiet, all the gypsy's were still sleeping from the night's festivities, that, or they were doing something else. I figured while things were quiet I'd take a morning swim in the oasis.  
Striping off my clothes, I left them in a bunch by the shore, and dived in. It felt refreshing to wake up, and take a swim instead of torturing someone. I could do this every day.  
I dived underneath the clear blue water, and opened my eyes. There were many oasis maidens swimming around. Some had gold tails, some with blue, and orange tails, some with red tails, and some with white, orange, and black tails. They were all so pretty. So mesmerizing. They were really nothing like their river dwelling kin. These maidens are so pretty, with petite faces, and they didn't have fangs, or long claws, and they had a normal skin tone instead of pasty grey. The only thing about oasis maidens is that they flirt with anything on two legs. If they find you attractive in any way you're a target… and, it looks like I'm their target today. One of them caught sight of me, and immediately pointed me out to the others. Then they made a beeline straight for me. They grabbed my waist, and legs trying to pull me down farther into the water. I wrestled out of their grasp swimming hard for the surface. Gasping for breath, and swimming to the shore. These oasis maidens were a lot more flirtatious than some of the others I've met.  
"Hey!" I heard someone call, "Get away from him."  
I dive under the water again, swimming to the big rock I slept on.  
"Who's there!?" I ask, from my hiding spot.  
"It's me, Emeric." He said, coming around the large rock to hand me my clothes, "Don't worry I won't look."  
"Why would I be worried about you looking?" I asked, getting out of the water, and snatching my clothes out of his hand. I didn't even see Nova anywhere, so much for keeping watch. Unless she went to get Emeric.  
Emeric stays quiet for a minute like he wants to say something, but decides not to.  
"Hurry up, I want to take you somewhere." He says finally.  
"Take me somewhere?" I ask, "This better not be a trap."  
"Ha… it's not." Emeric laughs in answer, "I have a feeling you'll like this place."  
I finish putting my clothes on, and then me and Emeric set off into the desert. 

"How much longer, Emeric?" I asked in a whiny tone of voice, "Are you sure you're not going to sacrifice me?"  
"I'm not going to sacrifice you." Emeric answers with a breathy laugh, "We only have a few more miles to go."  
"Can you at least tell me where we're going?" I asked him.  
"You'll see when we get there." Was his only response.  
We walk for several hours deep into the desert, until we finally come across ruins of some lost civilization. Very large Urahan stone pillars that have been knocked over, and are slowly being overtaken by the desert.  
"Here we are." Emeric announced.  
"Ruins?" I say confused as to why he wanted to bring me here.  
"These aren't just any ruins." Emeric says, "These are the remains of the Temple of Deathta, or the Moon Temple."  
"Temple of Deathta." I whisper to myself, looking around at what was left of what I'm sure was a magnificent structure.  
"Very few of these ruins remain nowadays." Emeric said, "But, the best part of this is one is under the sand." Emeric moves several stones revealing an entrance to an underground area, "Come on."  
I follow Emeric into the hole, and then deep under the sand. The tunnel gave way to a large open room with a white marble altar. The room was held up by large white marble pillars, with a much more intricate design than the plan Urahan stone pillars above. The walls were scribbled with ancient languages, and hieroglyphics, and numerous gold and silver treasures littered the floor. It was all amazing. I had seen nothing like it before. It took me a minute to realize this place must have been made by White Reapers judging by the pictures carved onto the walls. My people made this place, worshipped the gods in this place. But, we aren't alone down here. A girl is singing.  
I quickly unsheath, my knife, and looked too Emeric. He looks just as surprised as me.  
"Are we supposed to be alone?" I asked him.  
"Yes." He answers, "Only my tribe knows that this place is still here."  
"Great." I said with as much sarcasm as I can muster, "What's she singing? I don't know that language."  
"I can't really make out what she's saying, but I'm pretty sure that she's speaking ancient White Reaper." Emeric answers, "It sounds similar to what we sing when we pray to Deathta."  
"Are you sure someone from your tribe isn't here?" I ask.  
"No, everyone is participating in Phetia today." Emeric answers, "No one except for me has left."  
Me and Emeric slowly walk over to where the singing is coming from. There was a cloaked figure kneeling before the white marble altar, staring up at the depiction of Deathta on the wall. Emeric bumps into a tower of gold coins knocking them over. The noise alerts the girl to our presence.  
"Who's there!" She asks.  
I quickly hide from view, before saying, "I should be asking you that question."  
"I was here first." She says, "You interrupted me."  
"Maybe we should answer her." Emeric butts in.  
"We don't know if she's dangerous." I tell him, "She could be a witch for all we know."  
"Are you a witch!?" Emeric shouts at her, and I give him a look that has him shrugging his shoulders.  
"What?" No!" She shouts back.  
"There you go." Emeric says, looking at me with a smirk on his face. Then he steps out of our hiding place before I can grab him, "Don't worry Grim, she won't hurt us."  
"Wait a second, did you say Grim?" She asks quickly.  
"Yes, I did." Emeric answers, "Do you know him?"  
"Yes, we met when we were young." She answers, "In fact I gave him his name."  
After hearing this I slowly make my way out of the hiding spot, and stare at the familiar blurred out form of a girl. She, of course, was older now, so she didn't look exactly the same.  
"S-Secret?" I asked, skepticism clear in my voice.  
She comes closer to me, and her blurred form starts to come into view. I couldn't believe my eyes. She's like me, dark tan skin, white hair, and she has light violet eyes… She's a White Reaper too?  
"You're like me?" I whisper, completely bewildered by this turn of events. I never imagined she was like me. I just thought she wasn't afraid of me.  
"Of course I'm like you." She laughs, "That's why I was talking to you. I wasn't supposed to be seen by normal people. But, we're not the only ones, there's lots of us.  
I was shocked so shocked that I had to walk away.  
"What's wrong?" Secret asks.  
"This must be a lot for him." Emeric answers, "Give me a moment with him."  
Emeric walks over to where I've sat down, placing his hand on my back.  
"I really didn't know she would be here." Emeric says, "The reason I brought you here was to pray."  
I look at him over my hands, "To pray?" I ask, "Why do you think this place will be different than being out in the open?"  
"Well, I figured coming to an actual place of worship, especially Deathta's Temple, would maybe help your prayers be answered." Emeric tried to explain.  
"I don't really think this will do anything." I tell him skeptically, "I don't think the gods like me very much."  
"It won't hurt to try, right?"  
"Ha…" I laugh, "Yeah, I guess I'll give it a shot. Like you said it won't hurt to try."  
After all, a miracle was already standing before me. I glance over at Secret, soaking in her familiar looks, before standing up, and walking to the altar standing in front of the depiction of Deathta on the wall.  
"What's he doing?" Secret asks, coming to stand beside Emeric.  
"He's praying." Emeric told her in a whisper.  
"With his eyes open?"  
"Shhh…"  
I stare up at the etching of Deathta, for a long time. I don't ask for anything other than an answer to my problem. Do I kill my father for me, or for Lady Amethyst. After what seemed like an eternity a deep chill goes through my body, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.  
"Well, did you get an answer?" Emeric asks.  
"Yeah, at least I think so." I answer.  
"So, what are you going to do?"  
"I'm going to do this mission for me." I answer, "For once in my life I don't care what my lady wants. I think it's time to do something I want."  
Emeric smiles, and then says, "Well, I'm glad I was able to help you at least a little bit, but it's time for me to get back. I'm sure Nesoi is worrying about me."  
"What, you're just going to leave me with-" I start, but notice Emeric is leaving through the opening in the ceiling, "her…"  
I was left alone with Secret, and I wasn't sure how to act, or how to feel. Well, I guess the feeling part wasn't true. I felt anger.  
"Why did you leave?" I ask, after a long awkward silence.  
"What?"  
"You just left me at Sun Bazaar." I say, my voice shaking with anger, "After you asked if we could be friends, you just left."  
"Grim, I had been seen." She says, "I had to hide, you know what would have happened if I'd been caught, but I swear I came back a few days later, but you were gone."  
Even after I heard her explanation, I still couldn't shake my anger, "I'm going to look around, see if anything is salvageable."  
"You're going to steal from the gods!?" She exclaims, "You're going to bring down their wrath upon you!"  
"Ha, their wrath?" I laugh, "The gods won't even come down from the heavens to help their own creations, I doubt they'll come down to punish me for stealing."  
As I walk away from her, she begins to sing again, probably for my salvation or something. I didn't think seeing Secret again would bring up these feelings of hatred and anger. I mean, I was angry with her. This is the first time in eight years that I've seen her, other than in my dreams. She didn't even bother to look for me. I try desperately to push these feelings down as I look around the temple. Picking up gold coins, and interesting looking religious artifacts to distract me.  
'Maybe I can trade some of this junk for tokins.' I thought, shoving some of the items into my bag.  
Secret's voice echoed through the large empty space. It was beautiful, just like her.  
"Maybe I should apologize to her." I sigh.  
I felt bad taking my anger out on her. After all she was right, she would have been turned into a slave, or worse, and for the longest time I wasn't sure if she had even been real. I slowly make my way back to her, looking at the faded etchings on the walls. Depictions, and stories of the gods, and even White Reapers giving them gifts, and kneeling before them. Some of these Reapers even looked like they received gifts in return. Secret's singing stops as I enter the main chamber.  
"Well, did you find anything good to steal?" She asked mockingly.  
"Yes, as a matter of fact." I answer.  
Secret looks away, a sad look on her face. This must not have been what she was expecting. Meeting me again like this, I realize how different I must seem to her, but I am different. I'm definitely not the little kid trapped in the cage at Sun Bazaar anymore.  
"I'm sorry, Secret." I say, "I'm under a lot of stress, I didn't mean to take it out on you."  
I sit on one of the fallen marble pillars, and bury my face in my hands.  
"It's okay, Grim. I shouldn't have left you." She says, sitting down next to me, "I can tell your life hasn't been easy, so its okay, really."  
I look at Secret through my fingers, and ask in a muffled voice, "Why are you here?"  
"I'm looking for a missing friend of mine." She answers, "I came here to pray for her safety."  
"Where do you think this friend of yours is?"  
"I believe she's in Everpoint."  
I can't hold back the hysterical laughter that filled my lungs, "This has to be some sort of joke."  
"What's wrong?" She asks, clearly confused.  
I finally manage to stop laughing, and tell her, "It looks like we're headed to the same place."  
"Is that what you, and that gypsy were talking about?" She asked, "I know you said something about a mission."  
"Yeah, I've been given orders by my owner."  
"To do what?"  
"It doesn't concern you." I said to her, "Don't worry about it."  
The conversation drifts off, and it becomes silent again, only the sound of the wind above ground could be heard.  
"We should travel to Everpoint together then." Secret says freaking the silence. She smiles brightly at me, and continues, "I mean, we're headed in the same direction anyways."  
"Uhhh… yeah, okay. That does sound like a good idea." I answer more to myself than to her, "I'm going to go outside, and try to find us something to eat."  
"I'll go with you."  
"No." I say quickly, "Uhhh… I'd rather go alone."  
"Oh, okay." Secret says in disappointment, "Becareful."  
"I will." I tell her, as I exit the inside of the temple.  
It's still mid-afternoon, all three suns are high in the sky, and giving off vicious heat. I stretch my body, and let out a heavy sigh, looking around at surroundings. Suddenly a Firebird flies past me. Sweeping low over the sand. I watch as it lands on a small palm tree right outside the perimeter of the temple ruins. I couldn't help but stare at its beautiful colors, red, orange, and yellow fading into a bright blue just like fire. It looked right at me, and I got a strange feeling that it was looking right into my soul.  
Firebirds are in abundance here in Hysteria, but they're pretty skittish creatures. They don't usually come this close to people. It finally flies off into the distance, and I go back to looking for signs of any animals nearby. It doesn't take long to find a trail, and then to catch and kill two large Desert Hares. I skin them, and gut them before taking them back to the temple. Once back, I find a spot in the sand that's hot enough to cook the Hares. The three suns beat down on the tan sand making it plenty hot enough to cook anything on. Once the Hares finished cooking I took them back into the temple. Secret is sitting on the floor in front of the altar looking up at the stone picture of Deathta. She looks over her shoulder when she hears me enter the room again.  
"You weren't gone for long." She says in surprise.  
"It didn't take me long to find a trail." I say shrugging my shoulders. I hand her one of the hares. She just looks at it for a minute, almost like she was debating whether or not to eat it  
"Go ahead, its good." I tell her, biting down on my Hare.  
Secret carefully bits into hers, and her eyes light up, "Yum, it is really good. So much flavor."  
"Told you."  
We don't say much more as we eat, but eventually Secret asks, "So… when are we going to head to Everpoint?"  
"We should wait till nightfall." I answer, "It'll be easier, and cooler to travel at night. We're still a few days away from Everpoint."  
"I guess this isn't the first time you've done something like this." Secret said softly.  
"More like the hundredth." I snort, "And, I'm guessing this is your first time."  
"Yes, actually no one knows that I'm here." Secret says.  
"Did you run away?"  
"Kind of, you see my friend… she left… said she was going to look for someone that disappeared a really long time ago." She explained, "No one wanted to risk their lives to go after her, so I decided I'd go, but I snuck away. Of course, everyone probably knows that by now, since I've been gone for a while."  
"How long have you been gone?"  
"A month, it took a while to get all the way over here." She said her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.  
"A month!" I say loudly, my voice echoing through the room, "Phero is a long month!"  
"I know." She sighs, then she changes the subject, "So… ummm… what is your new owner like?"  
"You want to know about… that?" I asked in surprise.  
"Of course." She says with a warm smile, "I'd also like to know how old you are now."  
"Uhh… I'm sixteen." I answer, "What about you?"  
"Fifteen." She answers, "Now, about your owner."  
I take a deep shaky breath, "S-she's… strict, but fair… when she wants to be." I answer in a small voice, "Her word is law, and it's best to do as she says, or gave her wrath."  
I leave out a lot of course. I don't tell Secret that I spend much of my time these days in my owners bed. I don't tell her that I'm used goods… a whore. I don't tell her that I'm forced to hurt… kill people on her command. And, I definitely don't tell her that the bracelets on my wrists control me to my lady's every whim.  
"She sounds like a horrible person." Secret says simply.  
I don't say anything back, I just look down at the ground. I know what she's saying us true. Maggie says the same things all the time to me, but something in me still doesn't want to believe that my lady is a bad person.  
"We should get some rest, before night comes." I say finally, getting up, and walking away.  
"I'm going to pray some more." Was Secret's response.  
I found a nice quiet spot in the temple that has a small bit of light filtering into the space, and sat down on the sand covered floor. I wanted to be sure when night came. I wanted to get this mission done, but even so I didn't want to return to Roseville.  
Finally I've made up my mind about this mission. I'm going to kill my father, it was simple, but shouldn't I feel something. Like remorse, or sadness at the thought of murdering him. I feel absolutely nothing. Its not like the man wanted me in the first place, so why should I care.  
The cold spot in my soul only grows at the thought. It's been steadily growing ever since I refused to mate with Maggie. I could feel something was going to happen, something that would change me completely. The only question was, is this change going to be for better, or for worse?

"Grim… Grim… wake up." A voice called from far away, "Grim… its night, it's time to go."  
I slowly open my eyes to see Secret looking down at me.  
"How long was I asleep?" I ask, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.  
"For quite a long time, actually." She answers, "I've been trying to wake you up for ten minutes."  
"I must have been more exhausted than I thought." I mumbled, sitting up.  
It takes me a little while to fully wake up, and even by the time we leave the temple I'm still struggling to wake myself up. This was going to be an interesting journey, and I was hoping Secret could handle herself out here. Finally I woke up enough to adjust our bearings, and we were on our way to Everpoint. 

A few nights later me and Secret arrived at the wall surrounding Everpoint.  
"How are we supposed to get over that?" Secret hisses at me.  
Hmmm… I might have something in my bag that could be helpful. While I'm looking, can you go looking, can you go look for any openings down here on the ground?" I ask her, pulling off my bag, and rummaging through it.  
"Yeah." She says, disappearing for a moment, but returning quickly, "I don't see any openings we can use. So, what now?"  
"Ha… I knew I packed this." I said, holding up a grappling hook.  
"You just happened to pack a grappling hook?" Secret asked, a deadpanned expression on her face.  
"Of course." I answered, "I used to live here after all."  
I stood up, and swung the rope above my head, and threw it up to the wall. It lands perfectly, and I pull it hard to secure it. I pull of it a little harder to make sure it won't come loose.  
"Alright, now we climb." I say simply, looking at Secret.  
"You're crazy." She says back, looking at me in disbelief, "And, for the record I'm not that good a climbing."  
"You can get on my back then." I say matter of factly.  
"Will it be able to hold us both?"  
"Don't know, but there's only one way to find out." I tell her, "Do you want to save your friend or not?"  
Secret frowns deeply at me, and begrudgingly climbs into my back. She's very warm, and having her arms around my neck, and her legs gripping my waist is somehow... comforting. Secret interrupts my thoughts by saying, "You better not drop me."  
"Ha… don't squirm and I won't." I laugh, looking at her over my shoulder, and then beginning to climb.  
Once over the wall, I pulled the rope up, so we could descend the opposite side.  
"Keep your cloak on, and stay low." I ordered Secret, "It'd be really bad if we were caught right now."  
"Right." Secret whispers, doing exactly as I had ordered.  
Secret descended the other side on her own, she landed on the ground without a sound, me very close behind her.  
"Which way do we go now?" She asked in a harsh whisper.  
"To Baron Estate. Then we part ways." I answer, pointing up the street, to where a large pristine building stood at the end of the street.  
"What do you mean part ways?"  
"I have a mission to complete. I'm not here to help you."  
Secret looks away, "Right… let's get going."  
I begin to walk quickly up the street, being sure to stay very close to the shadows. The town was quiet, just like when I was little. Charles rules over this place with an iron fist, so naturally there is a curfew. Anyone caught on the street after dark is severely punished. I've only ever seen a few people break the curfew, it was gruesome to say the least.  
We finally made it to Baron Estate. It's as dull as I remember it. Barely any color at all just a grey stone building. I bypass all windows, and doors, being that most of them were locked or barred shut. No, I couldn't use any of doors, or windows to get in. I made my way to the servants entrance by the kitchen. It's the easiest place to enter the mansion, and since its night no one should be awake. I push the small door open, it making, a small creaking noise. The smell that rushed out makes me stall. Memories begin to flash in my mind.  
"Grim, are you alright?"  
I give Secret a quick nod, and make my way inside the kitchen. I try not to look at anything as I start for the study. I completely forgot that Secret was behind me, until she grabbed my arm to stop me.  
"I know we're supposed to split up now…" She says slowly, "but, can you at least give me a hint at where my friend might be in this place?"  
"Uhhh… yeah, there's a dungeon down the hall to the right, she might be there." I answer, turning to walk away, but I stop and say, "Good luck."  
"Thanks." She says, she looks like she wants to say something else, but instead she turns, and disappears down the hall.  
I turn the opposite direction from where Secret went, heading to Charles' study. He always used to spend most of his nights there. As I got closer to the study, my heart began to pound. I was nervous, scared even, to see Charles, again. I didn't know what to expect. What will he do when he sees me again? How will he react?  
I reached the study, the door is cracked open, orange light filtering through. Voices can be heard coming from inside. One was definitely Charles, but the other is hard to place. It's a gravelly old female voice.  
'Could that be Hera?' I thought.  
Walking to the door, I looked through the crack, but seeing nothing, they must be further to the back of the room. I take a deep breath, and without making a sound I sneak into the room hiding behind a large shelf filled with history, and philosophy books. Sticking close to the wall I make my way to the back of the room where his desk is.  
My breath caught when I saw him. I couldn't breath as panic took over. It's been eight years since I've seen him, but he still scares me. Seeing him brings back so many horrible memories. I can feel phantom pain from the scares on my back, from the whipping I received as a child, right before I was sold. I try so hard to push the panic, the thoughts, the phantom feelings down, and look closer at what he was doing. He's talking to an elderly woman… Hera. I could feel a smile stretch across my face. Hera was alive, I'd get my revenge on her.  
Even though I was closer I still couldn't hear anything they were talking about, and my nervousness unease continues to grow, along with that cold spot in my soul. I start to wonder if I should leave, and take my lady's punishment, or even death, but I can't. I'm not doing this for my lady anymore. I need to do this for me. Gathering, a small amount of courage, I step forward out of the shadows.  
"Charles Baron." I say.  
Two heads snap in my direction, and their eyes widen with surprise, and maybe fright?"  
"What are you doing here, exile?" Hera spat.  
I ignore her, and stare down Charles with hats filled eyes. I can feel an incredible cold in the room. Both Hera, and Charles are going to die, but which one should go first?  
"Lady Amethsyt sends her condolences." I say in an emotionless voice, but even so, I get a happy feeling when Charles's face contorts into an angry frown.  
"So, that's who bought you." Charles says, "Its a shame really, I was hoping you would die."  
"Sorry to disappoint." I tell him, pulookg my long knife from the sheath on my waist.  
"You dare to raise a knife to the Master!" Hera yells, stepping in front of Charles.  
"SHUT IT!!!" I yell back at her, "You'll have your turn!!"  
Hera's mouth snapped shut, and she backed away from Charles reluctantly.  
"So, that insane woman has decided to finally take me out." Charles says matter of factly, like he wasn't even surprised at the news, "Of course, she'd choose the lowest way to do it. Getting her whore to do her dirty work."  
"Don't you dare speak about my lady like that!" I yell at him, "You're the one that betrayed her!"  
"No, boy, I came to my senses long ago, and I found out who she really is." Charles tells me calmly, "She's a lunatic, that has temper tantrums when things don't go her way."  
I rush Charles, but to my surprise he evades my attack with ease. Why can't he just die? Why does he have to make everything so hard? It mad me mad, and the cold spot within me only grew. Hera continued to scream profanities at me, and I continued to attack Charles, but he kept evading my knife.  
'Calm down.' I think to myself, 'He's just trying to make you tired, so he can bring in guards to over power you.'  
I stop dead in my tracks taking several deep calming breaths.  
"What? Are you tired already?" Charles taunts with a laugh, and a smirk, "You haven't even left a scratch on me. Ha… to think this is the best Rose could come up with to kill me. How pathetic."  
I ignore his taunts, and turn my attention to Hera. Her wrinkled face goes pale in fear.  
'There's no way she'll be able to outrun me.' I think.  
Hera doesn't even have the sense to ask for mercy as I come closer, instead she spits more foul curses, "You freak! Monster! You murder! You killed Baba, and all the others! You dare raise your voice, and weapons at the Master! You should have been killed as a baby!" She spat, but her rambling didn't stop there, "Your whore of a mother should have been killed as soon as she stepped foot on this property! BURN IN THE NETHERWORLD YOU EXILE!!"  
That was it, that was all it took. I snapped. The cold I felt in my soul broke free. Darkness began to swirl around me, I could see Charle and Hera's eyes grow wider with real fear, and they backed away. My mind spoke knowledge I didn't even know I had, and it was making itself at home in my head. The darkness parts to reveal a scythe is now in my hands. A death scythe. The rod of the scythe is a skeleton with an elongated spine stretching out upwards with its hands holding on to the feet of another skeleton that has its arms outstretched on top of a solid gold blade.  
I was staring at it in disbelief. The scythe wasn't heavy at all. It felt like it was a part of me. I was in awe, but at the same time so many questions ran through my head. What did my anger summon? Was this the strange cold feeling I've felt my entire life? Was this the change I felt coming for months now? My attention was pulled away from my thoughts when Hera left out a scream of pure terror, and she attempted to run, but I was too fast. I stop her with the blade of my scythe.  
"You're not getting away from me." I tell her.  
"Please… I beg you." Hera finally pleads, "I-I don't want to die."  
"For some reason this annoyed me. She doesn't want to die? Why should I care what she wants? She was always so cruel to me why should I let her live? She certainly doesn't deserve to live.  
"Please, please… spare me!" She cries.  
I look at her with emotionless eyes, and say, "What if I don't want to spare you? After all you did to me as a child. After all the things you just said about me. Its obvious that you hate me. And, I hate you just as much." I pause for a moment, and then continue, "You know, my lady gave me orders to kill anyone else I want, and my first thought was of you."  
All Hera could do was stand there trembling, but I couldn't tell if it was from rage, or fright. I then turn to Charles, whose eyes are huge.  
'He must not have been expecting this outcome.' I thought, but then his next words made me freeze.  
"So, this is why she bought you." He said mostly to himself, "This, this is the magic of the White Reapers?"  
"My lady bought me, because she wanted me." I tell him, "She doesn't even know I can do this. I didn't even know I could do this."  
"Ha… you really think she bought you because she wanted you, or that she even loves you? The only reason she wanted you is because she knew of what you could become." He says back, "This… this was the very reason I wanted you gone. Because I knew, because of who your mother was, what you would end up becoming."  
"You knew, the whole time that I had this much magic?" I asked in shock, "If you knew why didn't you kill me that day, that day I lied about you being cold?"  
"Why didn't I kill you?" He scoffs, "Because I was afraid of you, of what you said. Because I knew you could kill me, if you had wanted to. And, of all the people who could have bought you… it had to be that mad woman… Rose Amethyst! Don't be fooled by her act, boy. She doesn't love you, she tolerates you. That woman… she doesn't know how to love."  
I didn't know how to react to any of this. It was to much, "You're wrong!" I yell, turning the scythe on him, "She does love me. She wouldn't let this change anything."  
She did love me, maybe not the love of family, or even the love of friendship. No, her love was crueler, and more possessive, but she did love me. Or… maybe she just loved power, I shoved that thought down fast. And focused on the present instead.  
"You're fooling yourself, boy!" Charles snaps, "Once she knows how much magic you possess she'll use you until you can no longer recognize yourself, and when you can no longer give her what she wants she'll kill you, and all you love!"  
I can't answer back, so he continues,  
"You're a monster just like I always thought, like everyone always thought. I'm sure even you are coming to realize that now!"  
"SHUT UP!!" I yell, slicing the scythe through the air, swinging it at Charles stopping only inches away from his shoulder.  
Charles let's out a yell as the scythe stops, and then with a slightly trembling voice says, "Go ahead and kill me. Isn't that what Rose sent you here to do, or are you afraid?"  
"I hate to break it to you, but I'm not here for my lady." I tell him moving the scythe away again, "I just want to hear you beg me not to kill you."  
"And, what makes you think I'll do that?"  
"THIS!!" I yell, thrusting the scythe back to Hera, and then plunging the blade through her body.  
Blood sprays everywhere. And the upper half of Hera's body slowly falls to the floor as her lower body slumps to the ground in a heep. I turn to look at Charles's horror stricken face, he really didn't think that I would kill her. I could feel a smile spread across my face. This was going to be more fun than I had thought.  
"My lady has taught me many things." I say, "How to dance, how to read and write, and how to be a stone… cold… killer."  
I step towards Charles again.  
"No, stay back!" He yells at me, "Stay back!"  
"Is that your way of begging me to spare you?" I ask in a amused tone of voice.  
Charles doesn't answer me.  
"Well, you're no fun." I pout, "So, I guess I'll end this now."  
I swing the scythe around my head, and then bring it down directly on top of Charles's head, slicing him in two. I'm drenched in a shower of his blood. I walk over to his destroyed body.  
'I should give my lady a souvenir.' I think, taking the gold ring he used to control his slaves off his right index finger, 'This should suffice.'  
I don't think bringing his head back would be pleasing to my lady, being that it was in two pieces now. Looking at Charles laying dead on the floor. Oh, how the sight gave me so much satisfaction.  
I take a moment to look at my blood soaked scythe. I couldn't explain the feeling I was getting from it. It was so cold, the same death cold that I've felt for years wafted off of it like fog. But, how do I get it to go away? It was almost like it heard my thoughts, and vanished in an explosion of black mist.  
Once it was gone I felt drained of all my energy, but I had to leave Everpoint before I could sleep. I quickly exited the study, and took off down the hallway the same way I came in. Apparently Secret had the same idea, because she came rushing around the corner an older woman hanging from her small shoulders. She quickly held up her fists ready to fight.  
"Hey, it's me!" I yell, holding up my hands in defense.  
"G-Grim! You scared me to death!" She yells back, "Why are you covered in blood!?"  
"That's not important." I answer her, "We need to leave. Guards could come at any minute."  
I barely paid any attention to the other women, the only thing I noticed glancing at her is that she too has white hair. We make it out of the Estate, through town, back over the wall, and back into the desert headed back to the oasis.


	24. Chapter 23

"Grim, slow down!" Secret calls out, "Makatza can't go that fast! She's badly injured!"   
I stop abruptly. I can't believe I forgot they were behind me. My mind was so full of thoughts, thoughts about everything that just happened. I shook my head, and turned to look at Secret, she was struggling to hold up the other woman.   
"Can… I get some… help?" She asked, grimacing.   
I walk over to her, and pick up the woman… Makatza in my arms.   
"Or, you could do that." Secret says, "Isn't she heavy?"   
"No." I say honestly, in fact Makatza was extremely light. I could see that she was very thin, her bones poking out through her tan skin. She must have been starved for a long while to be this emaciated.   
I could feel the blood on me beginning to dry, pulling the hairs on my arms… I needed a bath.   
"How much farther to the oasis?" Secret asks, coming into step beside me   
"We should be there by first sunrise." I answer.   
The sudden silence that followed was… heavy somehow, even the wind had died down. The silence remained until the first rays of Mordoc began to dance over the horizon. The gypsy caravan came into view, and it was such a welcome sight. Emeric and Nesoi caught sight of us as we got closer, and ran to us.   
"Master Reapers, are you all right?" Nesoi exclaimed, worry plastered on her dark face.   
"We're fine." I answer, "But, Secret's friend is not."   
"This way to our wagon." Emeric says, "She can rest there."   
"Thanks." Secret says in gratitude, "We owe you much."   
"Oh no, you owe us nothing." Nesoi says, "It is our pleasure to be of help to you."   
I gently lay Makatza down on one of the small beds in the wagon. I give Secret a quick look, and then leave. I wanted to get Hera and Charles's blood off of me. To finally wash them both away for good. So, I headed for the clear blue-green waters of the oasis. Besides, Emeric, Nesoi, and Secret, though they didn't say anything I could tell they were frightened of me.   
"Grim, wait!" Secret called after me   
"You should be with your friend." I say, not turning to look at me. I couldn't bear it right now.   
"Are you okay?" She asks, ignoring me, "You're not acting like yourself."   
"You barely know me." I say to her, "So, how could you possibly know how I usually act."   
"What did you do… while we were in the mansion?"  
"I took care of a monster." Was all I could say, before walking to the oasis. I stripped my filthy clothes off, and jumped into the freezing water. Once I'm clean I take a look at my ruined clothes.   
"There's no way I can get these clean." I sigh, throwing them down. I swim to a flat rock, and place my arms on it.   
I want to sleep so bad, but I don't want to get out of the water.   
'I'll just sleep here.' I think, 'I'll figure out what to do later.'  
I put my head on my arms, and closed my eyes.  
I'm abruptly awakened by female's giggling in my ears. I open my eyes to find I'm surrounded by beautiful oasis maidens. They're all looking at me with gleeful, flirtatious eyes. Some are even touching me… very inappropriately.   
"Get away." I gasp, waving my arms around in a desperate attempt to make them stop.   
Some of them squeal playfully, and dive under the water purposely rubbing against my legs. I attempt to swim away, but I'm grabbed around the torso by one of them.   
"Let him go!" I hear someone yell from above.   
The oasis maidens let me go with a pout, but they swim away from me. I look up to see Emeric looking down at me from a large rock.   
"Emeric…" I pant, "thanks…"   
"No problem, those things really like you." He says, smiling, "So, do you need some clothes?" He laughs holding up a pair of dark pants, and a black vest.   
"That would be greatly appreciated." I sigh, swimming over to the shore. I climbed out of the water, not even batting an eye about him seeing me naked, but I could have swore I saw his cheeks turn red. I swiped the clothes from his outstretched hand, and then asked, "Hey, Emeric?"  
"Y-yes."   
"Why do you think the oasis maidens like me so much?"   
"I don't know." He answers, "Maybe it's the same reason your wild dog companion likes you so much. Maybe they can tell you're lonely, and need company."   
"Do I really seem that lonely?"  
"Well, you are always going off by yourself, but of course they're also going about comforting you in the completely wrong way."   
"Hmmm…" was my only response, as I slipped the vest on, and then followed Emeric back to the caravan.   
"Here's some food." Emeric says, handing me a bowl of piping hot stew, "You must be hungry after your long journey."   
"Honestly, I haven't even thought about eating." I say, stuffing my face.   
"You should learn to take better care of yourself." Emeric says, watching me scarf down the stew, "So… I'm assuming you took care of your father?"   
"Yes…" I say around a mouthful of food, "I did."   
"Do… you want to… talk about it?" He asks tentatively.   
"No." I answer, "I don't."   
How was I supposed to explain the fact that I killed my father with a death scythe that appeared out of nowhere? There was no way in the netherworld I could. Emeric would think that I'm a monster. Even though I… am one. I always knew I had magic, but it was always such a small amount. So, small I had never thought much of it. I never imagined that I'd actually use it, or that it would come in the form of something so deadly.   
"How is Secret's friend?" I asked, changing the subject.   
"She's resting, she probably won't wake up for a few days." Emeric answers, "It looks like she was tortured pretty badly, she was nearly starved to death too. She's very lucky that Secret found her in time."   
So, she's really…" I start, but trail off.   
"A White Reaper?" Emeric finishes, and then answers, "Yes, she is."   
As I finished my food, I suddenly felt like I was being watched. I looked around, seeing many black formless shadows hovering over the tan sand in the distance.   
"Is something wrong?" Emeric asks, "You look a little pale."   
"I-I'm fine." I answer, forcing my eyes away from the shadows, "I'm just tired, that's all."   
Why did those shadows seem so familiar, even though they looked like nothing? Why did it feel like they were watching me, judging me, even though they didn't have eyes?  
"Come on, you can sleep in the wagon with Secret and her friend." Emeric says, grabbing my arm, and dragging me back to the wagon, "Nesoi has already set up a spot for you to rest."   
I walked back into the wagon, and saw Secret curled up next to Makatza, both of them were fast asleep. I give a small smile, that I hoped no one noticed, at the sight of her peaceful face. I climbed onto the palette that Nesoi had made for me, and within minutes I was asleep. But, my sleep was not peaceful. It was filled with horrifying images. Mitus's dead, and tortured body, the witches body covered in stab wounds, all of my torture victims, and now my father's body sliced in half, along with Hera's mutilated body. The images danced behind my eyelids. Their frightened screams, their horrified faces, and all of them looked at me like I was a monster. I knew I hadn't been asleep for long when I felt hands shaking me awake. Someone was screaming my name. My eyes snapped open to see Secret on top of me, her light purple eyes filled with worry.   
"Grim, are you okay?" She asked, "You were screaming."   
"I… I'm fine." I say, running my hands down my sweat soaked face, "Just a nightmare."   
"It must have been a very bad nightmare, for you to scream like that. " Secret says, "I thought you were dying."   
"It was pretty bad." I say quietly. I had no energy… I was so tired.   
"Do… you want me to stay with you?" She asks, "You know, so you can sleep. When I have bad dreams, my mother always sleeps with me to calm me down."   
I nod my head in agreement far too tired to refuse her offer. I laid back down, stiffening as Secret wraps her arms around my torso, and snuggles her head in between my shoulder blades. I did feel comfortable, safe even. My eyes started to close, and eventually I drifted back off to sleep. I wouldn't wake up for quite a while later.


End file.
